An Infinite Void
by Le Pleiade
Summary: This is about how Jim became the womanizer he is. It's all to fill the infinite void she left behind. Kirk/ofc, Bones/ofc
1. Sideways

**I do not own nor profit from Star Trek or Gene Roddenberrys creations.**

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**A/N: **This is just a one shot (possibly a long one) that I came up with while listening to the song 'Sideways' by Citizen Cope. Youtube it, it's a great song, and I guess this will... in a way... be a songfic. But I am mostly just thinking of this song as I write this.

* * *

_**"You know it ain't easy, for these thoughts to leave me, ain't no words to describe it in French or in English..."**_

Adelaide turned over, hearing the smooth crooning voice from the radio, stretching deeply in the blankets she shared with her heart on that warm spring Iowa morning. "Good morning sleepy." She croaked out, her eyes connecting with the ocean blues of her beloved.

James Kirk stroked her face gently, a smile across his face after having watched her for nearly an hour as the sun streaked across her gentle face. "Good morning." He smirked, reaching down to kiss her, pulling the blankets over them. She giggled, as he littered her body with sweet kisses, riling her up for another round of passion. Adelaide was only happy to oblige, allowing him between her thighs, grinding back into him, returning his kisses, her fingers dragging down his arms.

Even though he was bored of Iowa, he stayed for his sweetheart. He had known Adelaide since they were young children. Their first meeting stuck in his mind like it was yesterday. They were only five, it was Easter, and they were on the egg hunt. She was in a yellow dress with white mary janes, her black hair in pigtails. They had been racing for the same egg, purple, with blue and pink speckles. She was just a little closer to it than he was, and his first reaction was to push her down so she didn't get to it. This left a grass stain down the front of her dress, as her golden brown eyes filled with her young tears. She was carried away by her grandmother. He was urged by his own mother, who was actually on planet at the time, to apologize and let Adelaide have the egg, but she just refused the egg. "I don't want it." She huffed, a saddened frown on her face as she still hiccuped.

There were many more times like that where he made Adelaide cry. It wasn't intentional, just him being a stupid boy growing up in a boring Iowa. There was nothing exciting or stimulating for him, and so an object of his entertainment became this girl. He did typical boy things, like get her clothes muddy by kicking puddles at her, or sometimes throwing mudballs at her, finding snakes and frogs to throw on her when she least expected it. The worst one was the spider he managed to find when they were ten. She cried harder than he had ever seen her cry before, not realizing just how terrified she was of arachnids at the time.

Kirk smiled at their long history with one another, as he took in her lips. They were soft, and tasted slightly of citrus, as he moaned. He thrusted into her, sharing their tenderness, never able to get enough of her. They were 20, they were on their own, living and working, making their own way. They would get married one day when they had the money for the nice wedding he felt she deserved. He lay in her arms as he drained himself into her.

They spoke softly about the future. She wanted to go to Star Fleet, follow her parents footsteps. James was against it, something in him still resented the Fleet, blaming them for his fathers death. He didn't want to see the same fate come of Adelaide, he couldn't imagine losing her. She was the one constant in his whole life. The only positive constant, who put up with him over the years, who loved him and all of his faults.

**_"Well diamonds they fade, flowers they bloom, but I'm telling you, these feelings won't go away, they've been knocking me sideways, they've been knocking me out babe, whenever you come around me..." _**

The radio continued to croon, and it spoke to James' heart, as his fingers traced her outline.

It was a week before Jame's 21st birthday as he rode with his friends to a diner. He got off of his hoverbike, setting the helmet on the handlebar, squinting in the bright sun.

"So, Jim, what are we doing for your birthday?" Mike patted his shoulder hard, leading him into the diner. Jacob, Kyle and Gordon followed behind them.

"Well, it seems like Addy has a big surprise, so, I'm not quite sure." James smiled, looking over the menu left at their booth.

"Awww, come on Jim! You've got to live a little! You are going to be 50 years old without ever having lived." Gordon shook his hand exasperated.

Kyle chipped in. "You know, it will be so crazy if you've fucked the same pussy your entire life." The guys laughed, knowing that James and Addy had given themselves to one another, they were each others firsts.

"Yeah, well, first, as least I get pussy." James pointed his finger at two of the guys, as the diss howl erupted.

"Just think about it James, I mean, I hate to say it, but, really, let yourself live a little before settling down." His friends had began to push him.

"Alright, alright, that's good and well enough." He put his hand down, letting them know the conversation was over, but it was too late for the young man. The seed of doubt had already been planted. The entire long ride back home made him think of being with Addy for the rest of his life. He had only so much as kissed another girl, well, that came with a brief boob grab, but still, it wasn't that intimacy that he had with Addy. What if he got bored with her by the time he was 25, and then he would have to relearn how to please a woman who wasn't her? Could he really be with just her, forever? At 19 it began to sound like a taller and taller order that he wasn't sure he would be able to fill.

James felt guilty for his thoughts, seeing her getting out of her old truck, her faded blue hospital scrubs blowing in the dusty winds.

"Hey sweetheart." She called, her ponytail bobbing as she walked towards him. He lifted his visor, and knew he couldn't face her with the thoughts on his mind.

"Hey, I'm going out for a bit." He gave a sad smile that she couldn't see under his helmet, but he could see her disappointment clear as day.

"Alright, well, I'm making chicken for dinner, so, if you're hungry, It'll be in the fridge in case you get home too late." She rubbed his arm, and kissed his nose through the visor before turning around and going inside. James took off down the long road to nowhere, needing to work out his thoughts.

He never came home that night, or the next day. He sat at Kyles house, dialing all but one digit of his home number, before losing his nerve. his friends had been hanging out there as well, trying to give him some privacy. Kyles phone rang, and absentmindedly, James answered.

"Hello?" James answered.

_"Hello? James, is that you?" _It was Adelaide.

"Yes, it's me, yeah. Whats up?"

_'whats up, I was worried about you babes, you didn't come home and I haven't heard from you today. That just isn't like you.'_

"Well, Addy, I uh... Look." James sighed.

_'Whats wrong Tibs?'_

He couldn't stand that pet name, not right now, not while he was trying to break her heart, he couldn't stand it because he loved it.

"I think we need time apart." Jim breathed quickly. Dropping the bomb was the hardest part, The aftermath was just long and timely.

_'Time apart? You're breaking up with me?' _He could already hear her tears. Once again, he was being a stupid boy, hurting her just like he had in their youth.

'Well, maybe we just moved too fast, you know? We haven't really lived.' He struggled, with the urging nod of his friends.

_'I get it James. I'll be gone by the end of the week, so, you can come back then.'_

"You aren't gonna trash his stuff are ya?" Mike called over the phone with insensitivity.

_'No, James, I am not so spiteful as to do that. I just need time to get my stuff out of there, and it's all yours.'_

"Addy," He began

_'It's Adelaide, James.' _

"I'm sorry."

_"No, James, you arent."_

_CLICK_

That was the first night of James' liberation. However, he had been so used to a body next to him at night, it was foreign for him to be alone. After a week, he finally went back to his own home, finding no trace of her. Not a shoe, no clothes, all of her pictures, and any picture with her in it was missing. Her truck was gone, but all that remained was a note.

_James-_

_ I took my name off of the lease, and settled my end with the landlord. My part of the bills are paid through the end of next month, the bills are no longer in my name. _

_ - Adelaide _

He crumpled the note, unable to fathom the emptiness that she could have left in her wake, but he had nobody to blame but himself. And that is how his spiral began.

21? That's the age of partying. At least it was for James. It was the age to become a Star Fleet Cadet for Adelaide, who followed her dream now with no reason to stay behind in that ramshackle town.

James found alcohol a cheap and effective way to numb his broken heart, giving him the gusto to charm bar rats, take them home, fuck them on his couch and pass out. His friends would help him in his quest to fill that void in his heart.

He bedded woman after woman, never finding that perfect fit. Not like her. Every time, he thought he would find the one to make him forget about her, until eventually he used women as his remedy. That was what got him in trouble the night he his fate. He had his eyes on a particularly saucy cadet, staring at her, her long blackish hair, and olive tones caught his eyes. He did his best to get her interested before her other cadets came along. That was where his night went drastically worse.

Before he knew it, but after a good ass kicking, he was sitting there with a man named Christopher Pike, who looked him over, his words pulled at the young mans chest. The things he could do in Star Fleet, he though, looking at a dusty model of a fleet ship. He thought that night, that perhaps, if he came back as an officer, and found Adelaide again, perhaps, just perhaps, she would give them another try. He hadn't been able to get in contact with her. Nobody she knew would give him her whereabouts, or any other way of contacting her, but if he came back to this rink dink town as a somebody, then maybe, just maybe he might be able to get some answers finally. He sighed, and knew his mind was made up.

* * *

"Bones, you've got to be there, I'll pass it this time, I swear." James was excited about his next Kobiyashi Maru attempt. He found a technicality, so it seemed in his mind. Bones had been his best friend since his first shuttle ride in Star Fleet. Bones gave an exasperated sigh. "Damn it Jim, people don't go back to the Kobiyashi Maru for seconds, let alone thirds!" He hissed.

"Just say you'll be there." Jim held his friends shoulders. Bones just nodded, looking out over the grass.

"Whats going on over there?" He pointed to a large gathering.

"Oh, some flight just came back, I hear they kicked ass in the Laurentian System, but their relief finally came, so they are coming back planetside for some R and R." Jim looked over the group.

"Oh no fucking way." He stopped, staring. his eyes had perhaps decieved him in the bright afternoon, but it startled him none the less. Bones looked over, scanning the scene for a reason why his friend had gone pale.

"I gotta go." Jim rushed, leaving Bones standing there, confused.

* * *

James looked up the recent mission of the USS Farragut, the roster, right under the head, she was there. _Adelaide Myers, 1st Officer_

He didn't know what to say, his luck, as he rejoiced in his heart. The woman who he longed for all this time was finally so close to him. It was sort of a tradition that the bridge crew would have a few drinks at a local club upon returning, so James knew exactly where he would go that night. He dolled himelf up in a nice white shirt with a black casual jacket and slacks, before heading out.

He sat at the bar, looking out over the patrons. The captain had arrived, as had their pilot, he remembered their faces. A low croon came to his ears.

_"These feelings won't go away, they've been knocking me sideways, they've been knocking me out babe, whenever you come around me..." _

It breathed in his ears, taunting him. He knocked back his rum, turning back to the bar. 'Your'e an idiot Jim, coming here looking for her. She hates you.' His mind raced, trying to talk himself into leaving before she got there, if she got there. He didn't know if she even liked bars, since he dumped her before he could find out. He sighed, kicking himself once again, as he had many times over the last few years.

"Bring another one, same thing bartender." Jim wave the bartender down, and waited as his drink was slid in front of him. "Better slow down Jim, or else you'll be stumbling out of here by ten thirty." The gruff man behind the bar said to his regular. "Whats up, you hardly ever drink so much so soon." He leaned over the bar, eyeing Jim.

"It's a girl." Jim sighed, looking down his glass.

"It's always a girl, Jim." The bartender chuckled.

"Yeah, but this isn't just any girl, this was THE girl. She was everything. I was going to marry her." He sighed, taking half of his drink in a swig.

"Then what stopped ya?" The bartender started wiping out a glass. "I mean, if she was so special?"

Kirk shook his head, dazed. "I was younger and a lot dumber than I am now." Watching the bartender refill his drink, he continued. "She was the nicest person, always putting up with me, but, I began to doubt us. I made the decision to live, to be able to be a free man. I just didn't realize that living without Adelaide was no life at all."

The bartender broke out into a laugh. "Adelaide? Addy Myers? THAT'S who you gave up? You were dumb my friend, but you already know that." He shook his head.

"So, you know her?" Jim perked up, "What can you tell me about her now?" He held his drink to his lips, ready to drink.

"Why don't you ask her yourself." He nodded over Jim's shoulder. "_Idiot."_ He muttered before tending to another patron.

**_'Diamonds they fade, flowers they bloom, but I'm telling you... These feelings won't go away...'_**

Jim turned in his stool, watching her walk towards a table of her crew mates. She wore silver heels, with a short red flowing dress. Her hair was piled up into a carefree bun, her lips painted plum, her eyes lightly painted, her liner pulled out to a cats eye look. She was so well received by her table, he began to lose his nerve. It was evident they cared for her deeply. She sat her jacket down over a chair, and made her way to the bar.

"Hey Louie, how are you?" She took a seat.

"I'm good muffin, been feeling a lot better since you told me about that massage cream, helped my back out a lot." He smiled at his sweet nurse. "Well, are you having your usual?" He cocked his eyebrow.

"Yes sir! You know me all too well." She gave him a sweet smile, resting her chin on the heel of her hand.

"It seems I'm not the only one tonight." Louie tilted his head to the man who had been staring at her since he laid eyes on her.

Their eyes locked, and it all seemed to come back. His eyes were as sweet and blue as the day she last saw him on his bike in Iowa, but she remembered the bitter cold way that he left her.

Her eyes were filled with cold, pain, passion and desire. They were as hot yet as they were cold, but he couldn't tell which side was winning out.

"James." She acknowledged.

"Adelaide." He breathed. She turned from him, waiting for her drink. Louie seemed to be intentionally stalling, which Jim was thankful for, so he could take in more of this woman before him.

"How are you?" He asked, not knowing what else to really say.

"I'm well, thank you. Yourself?"

"I've been good. Thank you." They sat in silence for a few moments, but Jim had to take the plunge.

"I've missed, terribly. I'm sorry for everything, I've been trying to find you, but nobody would tell me where to start." He moved to a closer bar stool.

"Yes, I know. I've told people not to tell you where I've gone. It was no longer your concern what I was doing with my life." She didn't acknowledge his first statement.

"Did you hear me? I said I missed you." Jim looked into her eyes, searching.

"I did hear you, but your reputation precedes you, James. I don't know if you even remember what a cold bed feels like." She drew. Louie finally set her multicolored drink down in front of her, as she stirred it with a straw. "I'm sure, you really missed me, soooooo much." She rolled sarcastically. "It was nice, James, now if you'll please, have a good night." She left him sitting there, her stinging words on his ears.

"Wow. That did not go... at all, the way I thought it was going to." James turned back to the bar.

"Well, what do you expect Jim? You broke her heart. That girl spent the first year here, absolutely miserable. She didn't know what she did to suddenly lose her lovers affections. She had been planning to propose you know?" He eyed Jim, who just shook his head. "On your 21st birthday, she was going to propose to you, break tradition, because she didn't care how much money you guys had, she knew that she wanted to be with you, no matter what. Even if you had to elope. She said you made a bigger deal of her having a big wedding than she did. She was ready to elope."

Jim swallowed hard, hearing his heart break in his chest. "She's an ice queen, but she is still smoldering in there somewhere." Louie called after him as he left the bar.

* * *

Jim shouldn't have been out that night before his Kobiyashi Maru test. Though he was confident, he was distracted by the previous night. Even though he technically passed, he still was more wrapped up in Adelaide.

"Jim, whats wrong with you man? You've been acting like your sick for the last couple of day." Bones turned to his friend. "Are you alright?" He gave a look of concern. Jim just sighed, and told Bones the story of Addy and Jim.

"Well, if you weren't my friend I'd ask if she was single, but it sounds like what you need is to get her to give you one chance to show her that you were dumb, and that you can't live without her." Bones shrugged.

"What would you do in this situation?" Jim sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"I wouldn't know, Jim, I've never treated a woman that bad, and I don't know what possessed you to, but, hey." They heard a chirping.

"Ah, academic assembly, lets go." Bones grabbed Jim by the shoulder.

In the assembly hall, all Jim could see was Adelaide from the side, in her commanders uniform. He almost didn't realize that his name had been called, as this assembly was for him and his passing of the Kobiyashi Maru.

Before he could receive his punishment, the meeting was interrupted by an urgent message. They were sent to report for duty, and he watched as Adeliaide boarded for the USS Farragut.

Thanks to Bones, he managed to get on board the enterprise, and realized shortly into warp speed, that they were speeding into a trap. He stood on the bridge, the Captain Pike put them into Red Alert. As soon as they appeared in Vulcan space, he saw the devastation of all the other crafts that had come before them. "Addy." He squeaked out, only loud enough for Bones to hear.

* * *

While Jim was on Vulcan, the enterprise docked a shuttle that had been remnants of another shuttle. Spock called his medical officers to the shuttle bay, along with security in case it was a trap, and met the escape vessel. The door hissed open, and out stumbled a few star fleet airmen and officers. "W-We are from the USS Farragut, I'm acting captain Adelaide Myers."

The last one to stumble out spoke to Spock, identifying herself and her crew to the enterprise. She was in shock, as she looked over her remaining crew. They were the only ones who made it off of there. Her captain made her leave at the first sign of trouble, intent on saving the woman he considered the daughter he never had. She managed to grab a few people on the way, as he ordered General Order 13, leading them to a shuttle. Her captain did his best to protect the shuttles that fled, but most of them were subsequently destroyed by the massive Romulan ship.

Her crew was in med bay, and she offered assistance to Bones to help with the influx of casualties. It was the only way for her to keep her mind off of the tragedy.

In the inappropriateness, Bones found himself realizing just what drew Jim to Addy. She barked out orders to his nurses, who struggled to keep up with her. She was a firecracker when she was under pressure, running things smoothly, like a well oiled machine. Hell, things worked so well under her command, he felt like he barely had any work to really do, other than oversee some issues, sign off on some orders. But on the other hand, she had a beauty and grace about her that was hard to really pinpoint and explain.

When things finally settled down, and Med Bay was cleared out, Bones took Adelaide aside and began to assess her.

"I'm so sorry for taking over here, I didn't mean to overstep my boundaries." She sighed as the events began to hit her.

"Nothin' to it darlin'." He scanned her with his tricorder, "well, besides some shock, and exhaustion, you are pretty well alright." Bones sighed. "How are you feeling there?" He rubbed her arm reassuringly.

Adelaide broke down, holding Bones close, crying onto his shoulder. She had to let her pain out, her anger and frustration. Bones rubbed her back, consoling her as best he could. The strong woman he had seen just earlier was replaced by this very human, and sensitive woman who held herself to him. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be so touchy feely." She laughed through her tears, not used to hugging strangers.

Bones just rubbed the side of her face. "Hey, there's nothin to it Darlin." He murmured. "lets see if we can't find you a place to sleep." He took her hand and led her to the bridge.

Spock instructed she be taken to a spare room, and Bones escorted her. "I'm going to request that you work in medbay with me while your'e here, maybe it'll help keep your mind off of everything for now." He offered flimsily. She just smiled, reaching up and kissing his cheek. Bones almost felt guilty from that gesture, but didn't want to appear rude by refusing her.

* * *

All Jim could do was die inside. The woman he truly loved was gone, and there was no way of getting her back. It was only orders now that he carried out his mission. He didn't personally care if he made it back to the Enterprise, if he had his way, he would be sucked into oblivion to die. Never having to feel the pain and emptiness again, but the Adelaide he remembered would have wanted him to fight through. So he did.

By the time they sabotaged the drill and destroyed an entire planet, he was back on board wanting to chase the Romulan threat and destroy it piece by piece. In his soul, he wanted to tear each Romulan on board that vessel into quarters. He wanted to bathe in their blood in the name of Adelaide. His fury had grown so, he became belligerent, wanting to give chase, not run away.

Bones had entered the bridge and saw the exchange, and figured he knew where the emotion was coming from, but it was too late.

"Jim, I've got Adelaide. She's fine." Was all he was able to get out before Spock debilitated Jim, and had him removed from the ship.

* * *

Of all of the events that led Jim back to the Enterprise, and to the destruction of the Romulan menace, he never lost that pain he felt when he thought Addy had died.

It wasn't until he saw her back planet side, following her back to her quarters one night, having already had a few drinks, that he could finally approach her again.

He knocked on her door, and watched it slide open. She stood there, her hair falling over her shoulders, in a long off the shoulder t-shirt and short shorts.

**_'These feelings won't go away, they've been knocking me sideways, I keep thinking in a moment that time will take them away, but these feelings won't go away...'_ **

"James. Give me one reason why I shouldn't slam the door on your face right now." She mused.

"Because I wan-want to say thank you." He stumbled out.

"Well, whatever for, I am sure you are welcome. Good night." She move to close the door, but Jim pushed it open, entering her home and closing it behind him.

"Adelaide, won't you just give me another chance? I mean, seriously!" He began.

"James, do you know how much you hurt me when you dumped me like that?" She swelled up with anger. "Ever since I've known you James, you have done NOTHING but hurt me, and make me cry. I thought, perhaps, you were finally changed, and that we would be together, that it was that romantic tale my grandmother used to talk about. Where they grow up together, realize they love each other, and grow old together, happily in love until their dying breath and beyond." She ran her fingers through her hair. "But I learned that it wasn't for us James. It just wasn't for us."

"I'm an idiot. I wanted to play, but Addy, nothing was better than you. Nothing. Nobody. I thought by now I would have been over this, but, I'm not Addy, I'm not over it, and I don't know just how to get over this." He was choking up now, his voice straining.

**_'Diamonds they fade, flowers they bloom, but I'm tellin' you, I'm tellin' you, these feelings won't go away...'_**

"Jim, you are better off forgetting about me like you did then." She sighed, not wanting to admit that he was harshly ripping open old wounds that she would rather not have to resew. The sooner they were done, the better for them both.

"I CAN'T! I NEVER forgot you!" He raised his voice. Not something he had ever done to Addy since they became exclusive. They were just never the yelling and arguing type, but hey, time changes many things. "When I thought I lost you in Vulcan space, I was dead. Here, finally I see you, and I can't even tell you how much of an idiot I was, and how much I realized over these past years that I need you more than anything. That I love you more than anything I have ever loved before, please, Adelaide..."

He stepped closer to her, taking the side of her face into his hands, looking into her eyes, searching for some indication, some clue, that she still loved him. He brought his lips down on hers. He became a broken man at that moment, tasting the citrus again, feeling how soft they were under his own, and how perfectly they seemed to fit him. He pulled back, holding her hands up to his chest.

"Marry me Adelaide." He blurted. Her mouth opened and closed while she tried to figure out a response, but was cut off. "Just say yes, say you'll have me, say you can maybe in time, forgive me." He plead.

She stepped back, shaking her head. "I won't go back, James. Life isn't about going back, it's about going forward. You chose to go forward on your path without me, just so you could sleep around. What will you do next time you are bored of me? Leave me again so you can sate your desires in other women, and once you've your fill, come back to me again? No James, you chose me as second place, and I will not settle for someones second place EVER again." She balled her fists. "This James, is not an argument you will win. When you said it was over, it was over. That is a decision you will have to live with and eventually come to terms with on your own accord. Now, I think it is best if you left." She opened the door for him again, and watched as he stepped out in complete shock. The door clicked behind him, and he knew then and there, he would never bed a woman the same way he had her ever again.

**_'I keep thinking in a moment that, time will take them away, but these feelings won't go away...'_**


	2. Reassigned

**I do not own nor profit from Star Trek, or Gene Roddenberrys creations.**

* * *

A/N: I know this was going to be a one shot, but, after some thought and encouragement, I decided to tack on another chapter or two to this story. I may have to rate this as M instead of T, but hey, don't think that would be a problem.

* * *

Adelaide grabbed some tea before crawling back into bed. Irritated at Jim's intrusion, she growled.

"What's wrong darlin'?" Bones pulled her in closer to him. "Jim?" She nodded. "Do you still love him?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No, not really. But there was never any real closure between us, so it still hurts." She sighed, stirring her cup. "I just wish I didn't have to see him." She sighed. "Perhaps when the Farragut is rebuilt, I can go back to that ship." She took a sip.

"Are you nervous about Jim finding out about us?" Bones stroked her hair. He had fallen for Adelaide on day one, but, he couldn't approach her. It wouldn't have felt right, since his friend was still hung up on her. As they worked together in medbay, she told him more of the story, and more of how they ended up separated, the details of their breakup that Jim had failed to mention before. Right now, they were really more like physical relief for one another. Bones had not had intimacy since his ex-wife, and constantly had to see Jim with a new conquest night in and night out. It was high time, in his mind, that he also got to have pleasure. But of all the women he had to be attracted to, it was her.

Adelaide was enamored with the gentle southern doctor. He had manners that young men never knew existed. Even Jim lacked the sort of gentlemans touch that Bones had. Even his treatment of her body was that of a gentleman, he hands kneaded and massaged gently, his lips were just as fierce and hungry. "I don't care if he finds out. Jim has had a slew of women since we broke up, and I wouldn't be surprised if I knew some of them from under my command. It shouldn't be Jims business who I am in bed with." She moaned, kissing Bones' neck. "But if your conscience leaves you so crippled with guilt, then we can call this off, and enjoy it as a good memory." She breathed, reaching her hand down to stroke his arousal.

"No, no no, I think I will be more than happy to keep this our secret for a while longer." He sighed, leaning back, letting Addy take the lead.

* * *

She woke up in the morning still wrapped peacefully in Leonards arms. She snuggled deeper, grinding her hips into his early morning erection, eliciting a groggy moan from the man. They had a long and strenuous night, and her body was exhausted from their trysts. With apprehension, she managed to drag herself out of bed to make breakfast for them. Eggs, biscuits, gravy and coffee. It was a breakfast that Leonard enjoyed, especially when it was homemade. Leonard shuffled out of the bedroom in sweats, his hair messed up.

"My god woman, sex, and breakfast? You are too much." He sighed sleepily. She smirked, sliding him a cup of coffee. He took a sip and smiled, enjoying his cup.

"Well, I have my talents, outside of medicine anyways." She smiled, as she took the biscuits out of the oven. She set them aside to cool before stirring up the sausage gravy. Leonard stood over the pot taking a deep whiff.

"Oh, that smells heavenly. If you are half as good in the kitchen as you are in the bedroom, I'd be afraid I'd lose myself and have to marry you right on the spot." He chuckled.

"Now Bones, lets not get ahead of ourselves. This isn't anything serious... at least not yet anyways." She smiled. Leonard nodded, taking a taste of the gravy.

"Oh, jeez Addy, thats amazing. I oughta slap Jim twice when I get back on board." He shook his head.

"Well, please, don't. Then he might think something is wrong." She smiled, then turned away a bit disheartened, she wanted to spend her time with him, and would be left alone while he went away. She poured the eggs into a pan to begin scrambling them. "So, when are you guys going out again?" She inquired sweetly.

"Ahh, hmm. I heard about going to Nibiru, some M-class planet. I guess its just an observation run, nothing too long, you know?" He held her from behind, rocking her body with his. "Well, that should be interesting." She smiled. She missed being held and rocked, after a night of passion. Things she hadn't had since she was 20. He kissed her neck tenderly before setting the table for them.

They were enjoying breakfast, especially Leonard, loving her home cooking. Their conversation spanned a range of topics, as they ate slowly.

"So, I have to ask. What are we doing?" Leonard finally asked. He sipped his coffee, washing down his eggs.

"What do you mean?" She asked, taking a bite of biscuit, giving him an inquisitive look.

"I mean, I can't help but enjoy our time together, but, I also want to know if we are on the same page. I mean, do you see this as a fling, long term, short term? I am just curious." He leaned back in his chair.

She took a sip of her coffee to try and stall, but her PADD began to beep wildly. Thankful for the excuse to not answer his question at the moment, she got up and looked at it.

"Oh, will you fancy that." She mused, reading over the contents of the message. "I have been reassigned to the Enterprise." She blushed wildly. "I guess we will be seeing a lot of one another then." She sat back down, having enough time to answer him. She looked into his eyes. "Well, I think we should wait to see where it goes from here. I am just enjoying our time together. If we start to develop further feelings, I think it would be prudent to let the other know, or if one of us finds interest in someone else. I like you, Leonard, and I like spending time together." She grabbed his hand. "Just, please understand, getting back into something deep, is hard for me. I'll need time." She smile Leonard stroked her hands.

"You can have time, if thats what you need. I just want to be on the same page." He leaned in and kissed her. "Of course, you know we will have problems though, if you are on the Enterprise. I'd be your superior officer, so, I don't think there will be a whole lot of touchy feely stuff going on." He smirked. "So, you know we will have to get it out of our system before we go back on board." He stood up, pulling her back into the bedroom.

* * *

They were just recovering from their orgasms, when Leonards comm went off.

"Bones here."

"Hey, its Jim, what are you doing?"

"I just got done eating breakfast." He smirked at Addy, as she pressed her knees together, still reeling from his oral skills.

"Really? You ate without me?" He sounded playfully hurt.

"Trust me, I don't think you would have wanted what I had." He smirked again. Addy got up and went to the bathroom.

"Well, what are you doing in a little bit?" Jim asked. Addy leaned back through the door, pointing to herself, seductively. Bones shivered.

"Um, y-you know Jim, I'm not sure, I take it you want me to meet you somewhere?" He stammered.

"Yeah, we are going to go get briefed on our new mission, and to go meet the newest crewmen. I just thought you'd like to be there."

"Alright, yeah, I'll bite. I can be there, what time?"

"1300, at the launch center auditorium."

"Got it." Bones hung up with nothing more, and jumped out of bed, chasing down Addy. She shrieked as he wrapped his arms around her vigorously.

"Adelaide, you are the naughtiest sort of woman aren't you?" He growled. She made him feel young and full of life, the way she sated his carnal appetite. He felt 10 years younger than he really was, thanks to her.

"Lets take a shower Leonard. I have to be there too, and I don't think it would be prudent to show up both smelling like sex." She smirked. "I mean, of course, you can smell like sex, that badge of honor that men like to wear." She ran a finger down his chest.

"No, I won't be able to lie to Jim about who I've been with, and that man can sniff out fresh sex like a hound on a t-bone steak." He gritted his teeth. "Even if I wanted to show up smelling like sex, I would still rather take a shower with you."

* * *

Adelaide wore her knee high boots, and her fleet uniform. The short dress showed her luscious thighs, which she was meticulous about moisturizing. She put her hair up in a high chignon, and side swept bangs, with light makeup. "You are looking gorgeous, doll." Leonard kissed her cheek.

"Why thank you, this is what I normally wore in the medbay. When I was first officer, I preferred the pants." She smiled. "I just hope you'll be able to control yourself on the ship." She gave him a seductive look, before grabbing her PADD. They stepped out into the warm day, and made their way to the auditorium.

They sat away from one another, barely acknowledging the others existence as they listened to Admiral Pike brief them on the details of this mission. They were to just simply scope out Nibiru, take a look at the civilization, and report the findings. Pike wanted an easy mission as Jims real first mission as Captain. Adelaide was still bummed about having to be on the Enterprise, missing her own ship, all of the memories she made on the Farragut.

It was enjoyable for her to walk about the auditorium after the Admirals speech, talking to the other crew members that she would be working with. She still had her higher rank and pay, but just not acting in the rank for that mission. She finally approached the Admiral.

"Admiral, sir, how are you today?" She shook his hand.

"I'm well Commander Myers, how are you? I hope you aren't too upset about being sent to the Enterprise." He gave a knowing smile.

"It's entirely alright, sir. I am sure that I can manage stepping back from the action, after the last mission." She sighed. "It would be good to get back into medbay."

"When the Farragut is restored, I would like you to be reassigned back to her, maybe even as Captain. But someone with your talents, would be greatly valued on the Enterprise. In fact, here comes her CMO now, and her captain, Dr. McCoy, Captain Kirk!" He waved the men over.

"Yes, hello Admiral." Leonard shook the Admirals hand.

"Admiral." Jim greeted shortly.

"I'd like you to meet Commander Myers, she is assigned to your crew as a nurse, though her credentials are far greater than just a nurse." He smiled.

Leonard reached in, a slight blush, taking her hand, shaking it gently. "It is quite nice to meet you, formally." She smiled, looking into his intense eyes.

"Nice to meet you as well, Dr." She smiled.

"I'm Jim T. Kirk, Captain, it's nice to meet you again." Jim took her hand when it was freed.

"It is nice to meet you as well." She mustered up the kindest smile she could, and shook his hand. If only the admiral knew of their long history, he might have thought twice about putting them on the same ship. Then again, she would be on the ship with Leonard, and that couldn't be too bad, could it?

"So, you were first commander on your former ship?" Leonard asked, curiously.

"Yes doctor, I was, on the USS Farragut, but, it was destroyed. I am quite happy to return to a quieter position for a little while." She smiled sweetly to him. Jim gave a jealous glance, but recovered himself quickly.

"So, are you excited to work with me?" Jim cocked his eyebrow, taking a sip of wine.

"Oh, I'm thrilled." She was dripping with sarcasm. "As thrilled as a horse with hay fever." She sighed.

Leonard laughed at the metaphor, of course any metaphor with medical relevance made him chuckle. In fact that medical humor is one reason why he liked Addy so much. Jim felt put out by their seeming connection over medical. She would always try to joke with him about medicine, but he would never understand it.

"Well, either way, I am more than happy to see you on the roster. Report here Monday a 0530." Jim said, leaving the two medical professionals to a conversation.

They spoke so animatedly with one another, Jim missed their conversations. The way they would talk with one another, have long conversations late into the night and well into the morning. It was almost as if they could never run out of things to say. Jims eyes constantly went back to the two throughout the meeting.

"Well, Leonard, I will let you go. Jim has been eyeing us all day." Addy finally rested her hand on Leonards arm. He sighed, looking around.

"Can I see you later then?" He asked. She smiled.

"Of course you can. You know the code." She spoke softly to avoid other ears. "Of course, just, you know, call first so I don't get freaked out." She smirked and walked away.

Jim went back to Leonard as his eyes followed her. "So, what was that all about?" Jim asked, following his gaze, sipping more wine.

"What was what about?" He looked over with an arched brow.

"That conversation. She refuses to talk to me, but, you two seemed to be having a great time talking to one another." Jim swallowed, giving his friend an accusing eye.

"Well, she definitely is fun to talk to." Leonard drank some water. "I still can't believe you let her go. Jeez, Jim." Leonard laughed, shaking his head.

"Yeah, Bones, you don't have to remind me. In fact, I could have gone the rest of my life without being told how stupid I was." He was getting irritated at the constant reminder. "But, I need another chance, which is why I asked for her to be assigned to the Enterprise." He sighed.

"So, you asked for reassignment?" Leonard looked at him.

"Well, yeah. Wouldn't you want someone like her on your crew? I just, hope she will listen to me, eventually." He gritted.

"Yeah, or, you know, maybe you can just let her move on and be happy." Leonard guiltily said. He was saying this from the point of personal gain, not from the consideration of his friends feelings. "I mean, she hasn't had anyone since you two broke up, and you've been with more women than everybody I know put together. How fair does that seem to her?" Bones took another drink.

"Bones, I have been an idiot, yeah, I know, but I can't let go of her. Something just says I have to try. Honestly Bones, I'm obsessed with her." Jim ran his hands roughly through his hair and stalked off.

'_Well if you would have treated her like a princess instead of like a pauper, then she would be with you, and not me. You've had your chance.'_ Bones thought with irritation, but he couldn't tell it to Jim. He was still his friend, but he just fell, perhaps, for the wrong woman. Or maybe he ended up falling for the right one. But it would always be the wrong one for Jim.

* * *

Addy was walking home that evening, having gone to the store to buy food for dinner. The sun was setting brilliantly across the sky, a warm breeze blowing her loosed hair about. She was excited to make dinner for Leonard that night, when she heard her name called out behind her.

"Adelaide! Hey Addy!" Jim was running up behind her, breathing hard.

"Oh, James." She rolled her eyes, not entirely interested in seeing him.

"Can I help you carry those?" He offered his hands out to her bag, but she shook her head.

"Thank you, but I can manage just fine. I'm not that far." She hurried. shifting the bags weight.

"Well, then, can I walk with you?" He raised his eyebrow.

"It's a free street, I can't tell you not to walk on it." She spoke disinterested.

"Addy, why do you hate me so much right now? I mean, it's been so long." Jim broke.

"Do we need to talk about this James?" She stopped and turned to him. She caught her breath as the sun streaked across his face, rich yellow and orange highlighting the beautiful features she fell for so long ago.

"I need to clear this up, Addy, please, I feel like crap about this. I won't ask to get back together with you, but I at least want to talk this out with you. I would have done this so much sooner, if I would have known where to look for you." He begged. Addy shifted her groceries again and looked past him.

"Yeah, fine. I'm guessing we should clear the air before we are stuck on a ship together for a while." She nodded. "I'll meet you somewhere on Saturday afternoon?"

"How about I just meet you at your place?" He caught her scathing glare. "No no, not for anything like that. But, this is more of a private conversation, and I wouldn't want a scene to be caused." He put his hands up as if in surrender.

"Fine. You are pushing your luck, and taking advantage of my good nature." She glared, warning him.

"Alright, thank you. So... Who are you making dinner for?" He smirked, noticing the amount of groceries she had bought could only mean that she wasn't eating dinner alone.

"That is none of your business." She huffed and resumed walking towards home.

"Are you making your special fettuccine alfredo with chicken? I'm pretty sure thats what you used to get for it." He cast his nosy eyes over her bag, taking in some of the ingredients.

"None of your business." She warned, walking faster.

"Are you going to light candles too?" He prodded

"JIM! Knock it off!" She finally raised her voice, shook her head and left him standing alone.

He watched her hips sway as she walked home. Her hair bobbed lightly, swaying whenever she looked over her shoulder. His heart did backflips, and butterflies fluttered wildly in his stomach. A smile was plastered on his face, because she had called him Jim.

Addy and Leonard sat down to dinner of fettuccine alfredo and wine. Leonard was savoring every bite he took, as Addy watched him, enjoying being appreciated.

"Jim is coming over on Saturday." Addy said quietly, taking a sip of her red wine.

Leonard wiped his mouth. "What for?" He was uneasy.

"To discuss the end of our relationship I suppose. I mean, it would be prudent I imagine to get the hard feelings out of the way as much as possible before being stuck on a ship together." She sniffed. "It isn't ideal, but, I don't want to completely snap on him in the middle of space with nowhere to go." She chuckled.

"Well, I'd prefer you not have to do this." He tapped the table before standing up. He took her hand and stood her up out of the chair. "But, if you do, then, please, just be safe, be careful, and would you please let me know when its over? It's cutting into my time with you." He growled into her neck.

"Leonard, you are so bad sometimes, I swear. Sometimes I think your appetite knows no bounds." She smirked.

* * *

Saturday was upon them too soon. She was still unsure about seeing James, but Leonard had reassured her that he would be there later that evening to make her feel better no matter what happened.

"Don't forget your uniform shirt sweetpea. Its on the back of the kitchen chair." She hugged him from behind, not wanting him to go just yet. She had taken it off of him swiftly one night, without any regard to where it landed. They looked around all morning the next day trying to find it, but with no such luck. He was late to report to work that day, having to run back home and grab another shirt. When she finally did find it, a few days later, she decided to keep it to sleep in on the nights they were apart. Leonard didn't have a problem with it at all, but, she felt it was time to finally give it back.

She kissed Leonard goodbye, and began tidying up her apartment. She had managed to barely start the wash when her door rang. She looked at the camera and saw Jim standing there. The door slid open and Jim stepped in.

"Afternoon." He greeted, with a nod.

"Hey, come in. Can I get you something to drink? Coffee, water, tea, milk?" She offered.

"Coffee, that's fine." He requested taking a seat on the couch. She came back a few minutes later with coffee and sat down in the love seat across from him.

"Nice place you have here." He looked around.

"Yeah, it's not so bad. A nice view of the Bay, fresh air, at least when I'm on planet." She looked towards the sliding glass door.

Silence set upon them as they sipped their coffee.

"So, you wanted to talk." She finally spoke.

"Yeah, I um. I wanted to talk to you about what happened." He leaned back, tapping his thumbnail on the arm of the couch. "I was an idiot, I know." He looked into her eyes.

"Yes, well, we have already established that I guess." She smiled.

"Addy, we were 20 years old. The guys talked to me that day I went for a ride with them, and they began talking about how I'd only be with the one woman all my life. That scared me Addy. That really freaked me out. I mean, being with one woman, but, you know. I didn't want to grow old feeling like I never really lived." He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees. "Then the thought of us getting married like we had talked about just, wow. It just hit me, and I was terrified. I was truly terrified. I mean, I didn't know how to handle it."

"So, you decided to leave me so you could be with other women." She spoke softly.

"I didn't know what else to do." He croaked.

"You should have talked to me. Been open and honest with me. There shouldn't have been any reason why you couldn't have talked to me about it." She shook her head.

"Its easier said than done." He sighed. "I mean, how do I look at you, look into your face, and tell you I am doubting us?" His eyes glistened in pain.

"How could you have chosen to tell me over the phone, never seeing me again until now?" She asked. "You could have at least given me the respect to tell me in person, to break up with me in person. But, you had to do it over the phone with your so called friends in the background." She scoffed.

"Yeah, well, I have no contact with those guys anymore. It was very sobering to see what they had become. They are bigger losers now than they were back then, if you remember how bad they were." He chuckled. "But, seriously, I just, didn't know how to handle it, and I obviously handled it the wrong way." He hung his head. "I went around the town trying to find out where you had gone, but, nobody would tell me anything. Not even your old coworkers would tell me where you had gone."

"Yeah, I didn't want you knowing. I wanted the end to be the end." She sighed, tugging at the bottom of her long sleeve.

"Well, I wish I could have found you, so I could have taken back every mean word I said to you. But, eventually, I gave up, and began to sleep around, trying to find someone that was like you or close enough." He sighed. "I hoped that the next woman I slept with would be like you, but they never were. Everything I was looking for I had already had, and lost, in you. But, after a while, women became that cheap band-aid to cover the gaping void you left in my life." He held his hand to his heart. "I just wished that you would still feel something, that there would be some kernel of love there, that you would plant, and love me again like you used to." His eyes begged her.

"Jim, you left me, and broke my heart. I never want to feel that pain again, and I would be stupid to go back, and risk it happening again. Any positive feeling I have for you would have to remain distant, because I cannot let you break me again. You found your band-aid in women. I am just now getting over the pain of our breakup, I mean, finally getting closure. I am finally beginning to enjoy life again, regaining my confidence." She smiled sadly.

"You should have never lost your confidence." He shook his head.

"When you dropped me, it took a long time to recover. I had no reason for you dumping me, your love was just, here one day, gone the next." She leaned back in the seat, tucking her feet up. "I had such low self esteem, when I learned you left to basically try other women. It was like I wasn't enough for you, and I didn't know how to recover from that. You were the one that was supposed to love me, and every day, you would tell me that I am beautiful, and that you loved me, but then you took that away, and I though, I must not have been that attractive at all. Why would you leave something to abruptly, if you loved them and found them beautiful? But you did. You just, were gone. Then I wondered, how long were you thinking about leaving? Were you lying to me for months until you found the courage to leave? Or did you find a woman who you found so stunning you just had to be with her? I mean, why else leave suddenly? And you can't stop those thoughts from creeping into your head." She began to cry, reliving those awful feelings.

"You are beautiful to me, Adelaide. I've never found another more so." He shook his head. Jim got up, and sat beside her on the other cushion.

"Then why did you leave. WHY?!" She spoke angrily. "What was SO repulsive about marrying me, that you couldn't stand it?! Because you know what Jim, that's how it felt to me. That I was so repulsive, that not even the man who claimed to love me so deeply didn't even want to be with me." She stood up, unable to sit with all of the anger building up.

"I don't know!" Jim threw his hands out, exasperated. "I don't know what to tell you anymore." He choked. "All I can say now, is I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Adelaide. I am so very sorry, I never meant to hurt you."

"But you did, Jim. You did." She barely cried out, dropping her head into her hands, letting her pain out once more. Jim stood up, holding her tightly.

"I'm sorry." He kept repeating, not knowing what else to say to her. Her sobs finally slowed down to irregular hiccups, as she stepped back, wiping her eyes.

"Ugh, didn't think I'd be crying in your arms anytime soon." She laughed softly, trying to play off the situation.

"Well, I suppose you can always call your boyfriend back over when I leave." He smirked painfully.

"What makes you think I have a boyfriend?" She rocked an eyebrow.

"The officers shirt hanging over your dining room chair. It looks way too big to be yours, so I am guessing that it belongs to a boyfriend. I mean, who else would you be making your famous fettuccine for?" He rubbed her arms.

"Well, yeah." She smiled softly.

"So, who is it?" He asked. "As your captain, I would like to make sure my crew is well cared for." He tried to keep his composure.

"That, I am not telling you, Mr. Kirk. Captain or not, I still require privacy." She pushed him away playfully. It was odd, how she had little anger or hurt towards him anymore, like the animosity and dissent and pain between she felt was vacuumed up. She realized she had no reason to hold onto the burden of that pain, not when she had Leonard in her life to make her so happy.

"Oh, come on Addy. Is it someone I know?" He raised a brow.

"Would it matter if it is?" She crossed her arms.

"Sure, because then I would know my competition." He smirked, stepping in. "Does he hold you right, talk to you properly?" He rested his hands on her hips, rubbing her sides, leaning down, whispering hoarsely into her ear. "Does he know what makes you smile? What makes you scream?" He nuzzled the side of her cheek, leaving her frozen.

"Jim, that is so not fair." She moaned. "Either way, he can learn." She bit her lip, stepping back, feeling guilty that she had enjoyed his touch.

"Adelaide, in all seriousness. Does he make you happy?" He held her hips again.

"Yes. So far, he does." She nodded with a soft smile.

"Then I won't interfere. But, just, Addy, if you ever find yourself needing a shoulder, I'm here." He pulled her in for another hug, but he held her closer in that moment than he had ever remembered holding her. It was a hug to say goodbye, but he still had hope that one day, he could start anew with Adelaide. He would be patient and wait for her, because his matured mind knew she would be worth it.


	3. To Nibiru and Back

**I do not own nor profit from Star Trek or Gene Roddenberrys creations**

* * *

Leonard came back to her home that evening. She had seemed so sad on the come when he called her on his break. He hated hearing her so sad, and knew that it was most likely because of Jim.

"Hey babe, how are you?" He hung his jacket up in her doorway closet, seeing her reading a book on the couch.

"I'm alright. How was your day?" She closed the book and looked up to kiss him. He plopped down on the couch next to her, and wrapped his arm around her.

"It was steady today. Mostly just pre-mission checkups." He stretched. "What would you like for dinner?" He looked down at her.

"Hmmm, I don't know. Something light I suppose?" She shrugged.

"Alright, I think I can whip something up." He smiled and walked into her kitchen. She sat at the bar, watching him work. She knew he wanted to ask about her meeting with Jim, but was waiting for her to bring it up.

"We sorted it all out." She spoke. Leonard looked up with a confused look. "Jim and I, we talked, and cleared the air. So hopefully we won't be fighting it out on the Enterprise." She smiled.

"Well, that's good at least. There was no, ah... Extras?" He tried to put delicately.

"No, Len, our clothes never came off. We didn't kiss. He held me when I started crying, but, his hands never wandered." She spoke, walking around the counter to Leonard. "He did, however, find out that I'm seeing someone, because SOMEONE didn't take their uniform shirt with them this morning, even though I asked." She wrapped her arms around his neck, playfully giving him an accusing look.

"I'm sorry babe. He doesn't know that it's me, does he?" He rubbed her sides. His hands were so much warmer than Jims, and so much stronger, it made her shiver.

"No, he doesn't know. He knows its an officer, but, doesn't have a name." She shook her head. "Oh my gosh that smells so good, what are you making?" She finally had to admit.

"Salmon, and garlic sauteed asparagus." He beamed proudly, going back to tending to the fish in the pan. "You said light, so I figured this should be good." He kissed her forehead.

"Wow, if I would have known you were such a good cook, I would have made you cook more often." She laughed, poking fun at him. "No darlin, I'm not the greatest cook. In fact, you might need someone to test this to make sure its palatable." He winced.

"Oh, Len, stop. I'm sure it will be fine." She laughed at his failed attempt to get out of cooking more often.

They enjoyed dinner together, cleaned up the kitchen, and went to the bedroom. Leonard didn't waste time removing his clothes, and began working on Addy's clothes. He loved massaging her rounded breasts, tasting her nipples in his lips. Her legs wrapped around his waist as his tongue tended to her breasts. "Oh, Leonard..." She whispered, her hands pushing gently on his shoulders in pleasure.

He reached a hand down, and began to gently pump a finger into her core, his thumb applying moderate pressure to her clit, rubbing in a small circle. Her knees feel apart from his sides, as she moaned out in pleasure. His fingers knew how to stroke her sensitive spot in just the right way. The pleasure between his tongue and fingers was too much, as she climaxed. Her walls tightened around his fingers, as he pulled out, inserting his hard length. He worked his thickness into her folds, pushing in a little further with each pump. She was well lubricated, but still tight enough, he didn't want to hurt her. She arched her back, feeling him deeper into her bore. He held himself with one hand, reaching down with the other, stroking her thigh.

"Oh, Addy, you feel amazing, I swear." He groaned. He had never felt something so tight warm and lubricated around his length before until he was with her, and it drove him wild. He loved pinning her under his body, watching her take his affections, watching her face contort in pleasure, a begging look, asking him to make her orgasm. The way her breath hitched, her chest puffed, and how her hands roamed his body, wanting him closer.

Leonard slowed his thrusts, giving them to her slow and deliberate, driving her wild. He kissed her cheek and neck, nuzzling into her, paying attention to every moan and buck of the hips she gave. She was beautiful under him, as he caught her eyes. He now was set up on both elbows, one hand stroking her hair, the other holding her shoulder. She ran her fingers through his hair, gripping it in passion, wanting him to spill himself into her. After looking into her eyes long enough, he couldn't contain himself. He picked up his pace, feeling her orgasm tighten around him again, as she moaned loudly. Her walls milked him dry as he released into her with a passionate groan.

They lay together in peace and comfort. He was definitely different from Jim. Leonard was learned in the ways of lovemaking to some degree, at least compared to what she remembered of Jim. He was a passionate and attentive lover. Never asking for favors, though she was happy to give them. Always giving as much or more than he gave to her. The best part, for her, was the way he held her, to let her know in some way, that it was more than just sex. That there was some sort of emotion that went into it for him.

* * *

They were packing their bags for their short mission to Nibiru. Leonard was at his place, and Addy was alone. She was wearing his uniform shirt that he still never took with him, savoring his scent. She laid back on her bed, tired from the early morning at the gym, and keeping busy with her chores. It wasn't long before she was sleeping softly, wrapped in Leonards shirt.

Jim knocked on Leonards door, wanting to see if his friend was going to be ready to grab lunch. He hadn't been around lately, and was hoping to spend some time together before they boarded the ship.

"Hey, Bones, long time no see." Jim clapped his hand on the mans shoulder as he folded a shirt.

"Yeah, well, things have been a bit busy for me." Bones sighed trying not to make eye contact.

"I see. Want to go grab a bite?" He sat down on the chair in the corner, watching Bones close the lid on his case.

"Yeah, sounds good." Bones used his hip to maneuver the case into the corner of the room. "Besides, I haven't been out for a while." He looked around.

"No kidding, what have you been up to?" Jim inquired, as he got up, standing at the open door, waiting for Bones to catch up.

"Nothing really. I've just been busy, especially with getting to know the new personnel, I don't want to start learning all their faults on the ship. I want to know how good or bad they are while we are still on the planet so I know who I can trust to get the work done." He growled.

"Oh, you mean Adelaide?" Jim arched a brow.

"No, I've already seen her work, don't worry. I think she will be my favorite." Bones dipped his head and walked past Jim before he could ask too many more questions about her.

"Well, have you talked to her recently? I mean, I know you two got along pretty well at the meeting." Jim fell into stride with Bones.

"Yeah, I've talked to her a bit." Bones admitted.

"Well, has she mentioned anything to you about her boyfriend?" Bones sighed, pressing the lift button to go down.

"Only in passing." He folded his hands.

"Like what? I mean, does she seem happy with him? Is there... Trouble in Paradise, if you know what I mean?" Jim arched a brow.

"She seems to like him a lot." Bones said shortly, but continued to avoid suspicion. "I think she is just taking it slow, you know. It seems like you meant way more than she would ever let on, and now she is trying to move forward with her life." He spoke.

"Well, do you think it will last? I mean, have you seen him?" Jim pressed.

"I have, and she seems to enjoy her time with him, but only time will tell if it lasts or not." Bones sighed.

They stepped out into the bright sunshine, and made their way to a dining facility.

"Do you think she likes daffodils?" Jim asked thoughtfully out of the blue as he noticed the patch of daffodils and tulips growing in a well landscaped patch in the distance.

"My god man, you dated her for how many years, known her for how many more, and you don't even know what flowers she likes?" Bones looked at him incredulously.

"What?!" Jim shrugged. "I was young. I didn't pay attention to that sort of thing. I had more important things on my mind. Besides, who really notices the little things?" He laughed.

"Well, when you notice the little things, that is where you learn everything." Bones looked over at the younger man sternly.

"Alright, Master Bones, please, teach me the ways of the force about women." Jim joked.

"You know, for someone who wants a woman so badly, you sure are making a damn mockery of it." Bones drew. "I am sure Adelaide would be rather impressed if you paid more attention to what she said, rather than what she did. Dammit Jim, you've been chasing pussy for so long, you don't have to care about what a woman says. You have no intention on staying with them past the wake-up call. Why should you pay attention to the little things? All that counts is the sex." Bones was agitated beyond belief.

"Hey, whoa, chill buddy, relax. I was just making a joke." Jim looked concerned. "Whats going on?" He knew the doc was never like this.

"You know, I see you with a new woman all the time, and yet you lament over one. I don't get you Jim. I really don't get you. But see, you are too busy chasing a physical illusion, that you are letting the perfect reality walk away. In fact, she may have already." Bones gritted.

"You know, you have never been so passionate about a woman, Bones. Not unless you are talking about hating your ex-wife. But, you have been very defensive over Adelaide. What's up?" Jims heart sped up, as he stopped to face his friend.

"She is a nice woman, Jim. She is kind, and sweet, and lord knows she is beautiful. But she is so reserved, because she was hurt so badly. I have to look at that everyday at work. While you chase her around, and yet still do the same things that hurt her anyways." He balled his hands into a fist, trying to maintain himself and his secret. "If you cared enough, you'd either let her go and enjoy her life, or you'd stop chasing floozies, and show her you have some sort of care and commitment to her and to making your relationship work." Bones ran his fingers through his hair.

"Well, I will consider that, Bones. In the meantime, can I ask you to at least watch over you? I mean, make sure she is alright? I don't want to see her get hurt by some other guy the same way I did. She doesn't deserve that twice. Since you are going to be her direct superior, I am charging you with making sure she is okay. She seems to trust you, if she tells you anything about her guy, can you just, you know, pass it along to me? I'd like to stay in the loop." His eyes gave a hint of plea. Bones just nodded before continuing to the dining hall.

It was hard to keep it from Jim that he was the boyfriend that Adelaide was with, and that they were, so far, very happy together. It had been quite a few months, and though they weren't really publicly official, he considered himself exclusive to her, not wanting to give her reason to doubt his fidelity, or his commitment. The two were eating when his comm went off.

"Dr. McCoy here."

"Hey, how are you?" Adelaide spoke groggily on the other line.

"I'm good, how are you?"

"I'm good, just woke up from a power nap. What are you up to?"

"I'm eating lunch with Jim."

"Oh, should I let you go?"

"It's alright. Whats going on?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to know if you wanted to go back over the med-bay layouts and procedures again before we are actually on board. I just want to make sure that I have everything right, since it's a new ship for me." She lied, making the call sound business related to avoid Leonard from having to answer too many questions.

"Um, I think maybe we can do that a little later. I'm sure you'll have it down pat, but if it means that much, then we can go through it again. I want you to be confident going onto the Enterprise." Bones gave a little smile, and Jim smirked, able to barely hear what Adelaide was saying on the other line.

"Alright, thank you doc, I really appreciate this." She sounded happy.

"You are more than welcome." Bones hung up.

"Oh, what was that about?" Jim beamed falsely, though jealousy welled up beneath him.

"She wants to make sure she knows the protocols and layouts for the enterprise. It's a new ship for her, and she isn't feeling very confident about this mission. So, since I want her to be my second in command in that medbay, I want her to be as confident as possible."

"Whoa, what do you mean second in command?" Jim dropped his fry.

"Jim, when we rescued her from that Romulan attack, she took over my medbay. She ran it so smoothly, I barely had anything to do. I mean, really, she cracked that whip under pressure. But, I think it was really auto-pilot that she was in. Without that stress and shock playing on her system, I don't think she would have been able to do that. I want her to be able to do that all the time when I need her to, at the drop of a hat. So, I need her to be confident with her work station." Bones explained. "She knows her stuff Jim, I want her to be second in command under me. She is smart enough to handle that. When you can't find me, find her. I trust her with that, and I don't trust many people with that."

* * *

Leonard knocked on Adelaides door, and waited for her to open it.

"Hey Leonard." She said sweetly. "Come in." She offered.

"Well, I brought my PADD to look over again." He held it out for her, giving her a 'play along' look. Her expression dropped as she saw Jim step out from next to the door.

"I just thought I'd come along and make sure you guys knew everything you need to know." Jim smiled.

They spent 5 hours going over the protocols, and the entire layout of the medical unit. Addy was surprised her brain didn't crumble on her, even though she already knew this. It was just daunting, answering every single one of Jims stupid questions satisfactorily. He seemed to be taking extreme joy in picking her tired brain, that power nap not doing as good a job as she had initially thought.

"Well, I don't know why you would be worried." Jim finally slapped his knees. "You know it better than anyone." He smiled. "Bones, I'll walk you home." He stood up grabbing his coat.

"Yeah, alright." Bones just nodded, gathering his stuff. "Adelaide, I'll see you on board tomorrow morning." He nodded to her, his shoulders slumped a little. He wanted to kiss her goodbye as he always did, but with Jim present, he had to ignore his desires, and leave.

"I'll see you guys at the shuttles, 0530." She smiled. The men departed, and Addy sat back on the couch. She smirked, seeing Leonards comm sitting underneath of hers. So, she sat back and waited. It took twenty minutes for him to ring her bell again. He was panting, out of breath from running. The door closed quickly behind him.

"Leonard, jeez, did you just run a marathon?" She smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist picking her up.

"Yes, to come back and get my goodbye kiss." He smiled, pressing his lips to hers with voracity.

"How did you manage to ditch Jim?" She giggled, feeling like Jim was keeping an eye on him.

"I didn't. He ditched me. As soon as he saw some blonde walking past, he nearly broke his neck to follow her." Bones chuckled. "So, I decided to come back. You know I hate leaving without giving you a kiss." He nuzzled her neck.

"Leonard, you are, amazing." She sighed. "I'm so happy I met you." She gave him one last kiss, sticking his comm in his pocket, and letting him go.

* * *

Nibiru was a beautiful little planet, once they got through the atmosphere. The oceans were a brilliant blue, and the foliage near where they were landing was a vivid crimson. She looked out over the distant lands from her window in awe.

"Gorgeous isn't it?" Jim piped up behind her. She jumped up, startled, not expecting him to sneak up on her.

"Yeah, it's, gorgeous." She sighed, crossing her arms across her chest. "How is the observation going?" She inquired.

"Alright for the most part. We are going down to the surface." He sighed. "The volcano here is close to eruption. If it goes, it will likely destroy everything on this planet, and I can't let that happen." Jim caught her gaze.

"You... Jim. You realize that's against the prime directive." She shook her head. "I mean, Jim. You can lose your ship over this." She dropped her hands.

"Yes, but, I don't want to let a whole civilization be destroyed, knowing that I can stop their demise." He argued. "I can't have that on my conscience. Speaking of conscience, have you heard from your boyfriend?" He smirked.

"How do you get my boyfriend from your conscience?" She shook her head. "Only you Jim, I swear."

"Well? Is everything going well?" He prodded.

"Everything is going fine, Jim." She smiled. It was actually a bit exciting trying to have a relationship with Leonard on board. The secrecy that went into their relationship. Having to tread lightly to avoid suspicion. She gave a small smile, thinking of their relationship.

"Well, if anything changes, let me know." He cocked his brow, and left.

Addy returned to the medbay, stocking the cabinets and drawers when Leonard came in, clearly irritated.

"Well, looks like I'm going down to the surface." He growled, looking at the swath of grayish brown cloth he had been given. "Can you believe this?" He shook his head.

Addy laughed at his expression. "Oh, it can't be THAT bad." She smiled. The ship lurched violently, as she reached out to steady herself. "What the hell?" She cried.

"We are hiding out in the ocean. Jim and I will be dropped off near a settlement on a shuttle, Sulu, Uhura and Spock are going to try and stop the volcano from blowing." He straightened himself up, pulling her to her feet, making sure she was steady. His hands lingered on hers, one of the ways he could show his affection for her without being completely blatant. "You will really get a kick out of this though." He went into his office and came back a few minutes later. He was in a blueish gray skintight uniform. It hugged his body, sending a shiver down Addys spine.

"My my, this is definitely you." She smirked.

"Yeah, well, you can imagine, judging by this, how we are getting back to the ship." He gritted, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, sweety, it's alright, it's a good look for you." She smiled brightly at him. "Now, let me help you get this mess of cloth on." She picked up the robes and stepped towards him.

Jim was already in his robes as Addy was securing the last bits of Leonards robes. "No fair, you got help!" Jim playfully commented.

"It's alright, if you would have been down here, you would have been helped too." She said, focused on getting the hood to fasten properly.

"Really? I don't know, you might not be able to resist me when you see whats on underneath." He gave her a salacious grin.

"Please, Jim. I've seen whats underneath, and from what I remember of it, it's not as good as what I've got now." She spoke slowly, still not giving him 100% of her attention. Bones had to suppress a grin.

"Ouch!" Jim acted hurt, though inside he was. "Such harsh words from such soft lips." He shook his head.

"Well, you should have more respect for the fact that I have a boyfriend now." She hissed. "It really is disrespectful of you to keep pushing for a chance, or to keep bringing up ancient history as if I am just going to hop right into bed with you." She shook her head.

"Addy, I didn't mean it..." He tried to recover.

"Yes, you do Jim. I know you well enough for that. But I am really seeing a future with this guy, and I want to pursue that potential. Please, Jim, respect me enough to respect that." She pleaded. Again, Leonard had to try hard not to smile, happy to know that she wanted a future with him, that she was at least happy enough to possibly make things official.

Jim flexed his jaw, trying to avoid yelling, because he didn't want to give up, but he didn't want to discuss everything there at the moment.

"Thanks, Addy." Leonard patted her shoulder as he took Jim and left medbay, trying to cut that conversation as short as possible. "You're in charge until I get back!" He called over his shoulder as he led the captain to the shuttle. She silently whispered a prayer for his safe return.

* * *

She was anxiously waiting for Leonard to return, keeping herself occupied with patients until she saw his face again. A new crewman came in with a severe burn on his forearm, keeping her attention. Another doctor on board signed off on her efforts, though he did little else but sit in the office until she needed him.

The mans arm was bandaged, and given a pain relieving salve and sent back to his quarters with a doctors note to excuse him from his duties for the rest of the day. Her mind drifted. If she was able to be off for the rest of the day, and Leonard was on board, she would definitely want to spend it with him. After some time had passed, she began to hear commotion. The ship was moving again. She was restocking the gauze tape when she was wrapped in a wet embrace, causing her to shriek.

"Oh, oh no! Oh jeez! Oh no!" She whined loudly, turning around. Leonard was smiling widely at her, as water still dripped from him.

"I just wanted to let you know I'm back on board. Can't have you too comfortable as number one here." He winked at her, rubbing her back gently. "I've got to get to the bridge. I'll be back in a bit." He left her to dry herself. She made sure to use his uniform to do so, however, to pay him back for getting her wet to begin with. She just smiled, shaking her head at his sweet playfulness.

She had to wait until they were well on the way back to earth before they had a few moments together. She entered his quarters shortly before bed, he was in a shirt and boxers.

"Hey, I just wanted to say I'm glad you made it back." She smiled at him, as he took her into an embrace.

"And miss out on seeing this beautiful face again?" He held her chin gently.

"Oh, such a charmer Len." She giggled.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay here tonight? My bed is pretty comfortable." He urged, breathing against her neck.

"Len, you are making this so difficult. I'd love to, but you know we can't risk it." She moaned. "But when we get off of this ship, I can guarantee we will have some fun." She bit her lip seductively before giving him a gentle kiss, and turning to leave.

She had only taken a few steps from his door when Jim came around the corner.

"Addy, a surprise to see you here." He smirked.

"Yeah, well I had to fill Leonard in on some things, since you have successfully kept him to yourself nearly all day." She smiled back.

"Uh huh, this late?" He raised a brow.

"Again, you have done a good job at keeping him to yourself. I wanted to give him the important details tonight. The menial stuff can wait. Just an overview anyways of what happened while he was gone." She tilted her head innocently.

"Well, at least I know he is still awake. I needed to talk to him." Jim rang Leonards bell, waiting for him to answer. "Sleep tight Addy." He glanced at her dismissively.

"You as well Captain." She nodded.

* * *

The shuttle touched down in San Francisco. The rain slid down the windows, partially obstructing her view of the base.

"Happy to be back... Until next time anyways." She smiled to Uhura who sat beside her.

"I was hoping it would be nice and sunny when we got back. Beach time!" Uhura pouted.

"But I love the rain." Addy sighed, resting her head against the cool glass, in a dreamlike state.

"What can you do in the rain though? Nothing." Uhura shook her head.

"You can dance, you can jump in puddles like a kid." She giggled. "You can kiss in the rain. Curl up inside with a good book." She sighed. "I mean, you can't beat that." The two women laughed in their conversation. The occupants began to stream off of the shuttle, stretching their legs, enjoying the fresh clean air of California. Addy pulled her hair up into a ponytail and grabbed her luggage. She had no reason to stick around longer than necessary. She walked down the road, enjoying the warm rain, not worried about getting wet. Her hair was soaked by the time she walked through her door.

She took a shower, and wrapped up in a long light robe. Her wet hair hung over her shoulders as she sat on her covered balcony, enjoying the hazy view. In the distance, she could hear a ships horn blare, and she sighed. She was relaxed, listening to the raindrops, holding a warm cup of green tea. Leonard was going to be debriefing, and finishing up some work, so it would be a late night for him. It sucked for Addy, because she wanted to see him, and had nothing to really occupy her time.

She went back inside, leaving the sliding door open for the breeze, when her comm went off.

"Commander Myers." She answered.

"Hey Addy, it's Bones."

"Hey Len, how are you?" She always liked using his name, not Bones.

"I'm good, hey, are you going to be up for a bit?"

"Um, yeah. I'll be up. It's only 4, I mean, jeez. I would like to eat dinner." She laughed.

"Yeah. Right. Um, I'll be over then in a bit." He sounded bummed out, "we need to talk." He sighed.

Adelaides heart sunk, and her throat tightened. "Alright, well, I'll see you when you get here." She barely croaked out, scared of the upcoming conversation.

He hung up, and Addy closed her comm with a soft click. She sat down on her couch, unable to settle her nerves. It felt like Jim all over again, the same tone of voice, and she feared this was a prelude to another breakup. Before she could even hear the words from Leonards mouth, she cried. Perhaps if she cried before he broke up with her, she wouldn't cry in front of him.

It was already 930 that night when Leonard finally rang. She took a deep, shaky breath before opening the door. A smile stretched across her face as Leonard stood there with a bouquet made of roses, tulips and carnations. He held it up, offering it to her. "Oh, Leonard, they are gorgeous." She smiled, taking them and smelling them deeply.

"Well, I figured it's been a while since you've had flowers in here." He cocked a smile, stepping further into her living room. The bouquet came in their own vase, as she set it up on the kitchen table.

"Thank you, they are lovely." She sighed, unsure of what was going on now.

"Addy, I need to talk to you. I... We've been seeing each other for a little while now. I mean, quite a few months, and, well, I need to know where this is going. After what you said on Nibiru, I just, gotta know." He let out. She turned to him. He stood there in an uneasy stance in the middle of the room.

"Well, I want to make this, long term." She finally said softly.

"Then I don't want to hide it anymore." He rubbed his face. "It makes me feel like we are ashamed of us, to hide this from the world. I want people to know that I love you, and that you make me happy." He moved in, grabbing her hands, holding them gingerly.

"You what?" She looked up, blushing.

"W-well, I, um. Adelaide, I love you." He finally said softly, pressing her lips gently into hers. In all reality, they had been seeing each other physically for about 6 months, and had been talking for about 8. He felt that after 6 months, lust would have worn off, but, he still felt crazy about her, moreso than he every did about his ex wife, even in the beginning.

"I love you, Leonard. I, I want to be with you." She pulled him closer. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so nervous. I just- Leonard, I don't want to come between your friendship with Jim. I know you two have been thick as thieves since you started in Star Fleet. I don't want to come between that." She sighed.

"Yeah, but, I can't just keep denying how I feel, denying that I want to be with you, just because of how Jim might feel. Jim will just turn around and find yet another woman. But, jeez Addy, I'm finally happy with someone." He narrowed his eyes.

"Question is, do we outright tell him, or do we let him find out on his own?" She asked, entirely happy that Leonard wanted to show her off, show that he was in a relationship with her.

"We will deal with that later. Tomorrow, I'm taking you out on a date. A real, proper date. But tonight, we have some business to catch up on. He growled as he nipped at her neck.

"Leonard, you realize you scared the crap out of me on the comm." She hit his shoulder playfully.

"Yeah, I wanted to scare you about what I was going to do tonight." He chuckled.

"Oh, you are a jerk Doctor McCoy. You had me crying, thinking you were breaking up with me." She pouted.

"Well, I'm sorry doll. It was never my intention to make you cry." He kissed her forehead gingerly before he lifted her up, wrapping her thighs around his waist. "I know you are dying to get rid of me, but, I'm gonna be sticking around for a while darlin." He kissed her collarbone.

"Oh, Leonard. You hush up and take me to the bedroom." She pulled his hair back, kissing him deeply, while he walked her into the bedroom to indulge in one anothers body.


	4. Love and Hate

**I do not own nor profit from Star Trek or Gene Roddenberrys works**

**A/N: I appreciate the reviews I've received on this story, shout out to Hope of the Darkness who has been following this story. I appreciate your reviews and support. this is all mind-to-site writing for me, so if things get a little jumbled, I apologize. **

* * *

The next evening, Leonard showed up at Addys door. He wore blue jeans, a button up and an open blazer, leaning against her doorjamb.

"You look gorgeous tonight Leonard." Addy sighed, looking him over. She herself wore a light form fitting tunic with bootleg jeans, and short leather jacket. Her hair was down in gentle curls, and her makeup was light, just enough to accentuate her features, the way that Leonard liked it. He offered her his arm.

"And you, my dear, are stunning tonight." He purred, as she took his arm. When they stepped outside, she shivered in the cool air. "Cold are you?" He asked, pulling her in closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She wrapped her arm around his waist as they walked.

"So, where are we going?" She looked up to him, as they walked in stride.

"Well, I was thinking the Waterbar." He smiled. "Well, at least thats what the reservations say." He cocked an eyebrow as they walked.

"Thats... really?" She had heard about the Waterbar... and the expensive bill that it normally came with. That and the higher class vibe that one felt stepping in there. She suddenly felt under dressed. "If I would have known thats where we were going, I would have worn something a little nicer." She looked nervous. Of course, fancy digs were never her type of restaurant. She would have been happy at some small barbecue stand where there were regulars, and everybody had a favorite menu number.

"Don't worry doll. It doesn't matter, you are beautiful to me, and thats all that matters, right?" He leaned down, kissing her forehead. It settled Adelaides nerves, as they walked. She laughed heartily as Leonard was telling her jokes, and playfully bantering with her. She nearly had tears running down her face as he kept her entertained.

At dinner, they had many eyes on them. They seemed to be the happiest couple there, the way they were so engaged in one another, their conversation never stopped. They were comfortable, as if they were the only ones in the restaurant. Addy sipped her wine, and smiled. She was lost in this man before her, and had no idea how she allowed herself to fall for him so easily.

"Want to go dance?" Leonard asked as they were getting ready to leave.

"You? Leonard McCoy? Dance?! I never thought I'd live to see the day." She was slightly tipsy, imagining Len dancing. The thought was amusing.

"Sure, why not? I think it would be fun. Besides, we need to work off dinner a little bit before we get back home." He kissed her cheek as they left the restaurant.

When they got to the club, they found they were not alone. Uhura and Spock were there with a few other crew members she did not recognize. It seemed to be like a big group date.

"Adelaide!" Uhura waved them over. "Oh my, you look so lovely!" She beamed. Leonard appeared from behind Addy. It was Spock who first noticed that they were holding hands. Leonard knew this, watching Spock arch an eyebrow, looking at their laced fingers.

"And, how long has this been going on Doctor?" Spock asked as Leonard slid into a seat next to him.

"Um, a little while." Leonard looked around uneasy. Uhura and Addy went to the bathroom to powder their noses, or do whatever pack animal mentality activities women did at the club. That is what Leonard always thought of, a pack of wolves flooding the bathroom to powder their noses, pee, and redo their lipstick.

"Do you realize what this means?" Spock looked ahead, trying to avoid eye contact.

Leonard groaned, not wanting to hear him cite regulation. "I'm sure you are going to tell me? Whiskey, please, double on the rocks." He nodded to the server who was taking his drink order. "Oh, and a red wine, the best you have." He added.

"It means you are going to have to figure out what this will mean between you and the Captain." Spock looked over, catching Leonards confused gaze.

"So you aren't going to go on about how she is a nurse under my charge?" He was puzzled.

"Though it would seem wrong Doctor, one has to remember she was actually the First Officer on the Farragut, before its untimely demise. A relationship between you two would not be discouraged by rank. It may, however, be discouraged by the captain." He said, taking a drink from his glass.

"Yeah, well, we have already talked about how we tell Jim." He sighed. The server arrived a few minutes later with his whiskey and a bottle of wine with two glasses. Adelaide came back sitting next to her man.

"Oh, sweetie, you got me wine." She smiled. It was the only alcohol she really drank. "Oh my, Syrah, oh, I love it." She smiled, swirling the red liquid around the glass, savoring the scent. "You know me too well, I'm beginning to fear." She giggled. She leaned in and kissed his neck.

"Wait, are you two..." It was finally dawning on Uhura that their behavior was a bit too intimate for friends or coworkers.

"Yes, Nyota, we are dating." She giggled.

"What? When?" She shook her head, excited.

"Well, not long after the Romulan incident, actually." She smiled.

"So, that's the mysterious boyfriend." Jim stepped from behind Addy, nodding his head. His voice was flat.

"Jim." She looked into his wet eyes.

"Jim, look, it wasn't-" Leonard began.

"Yeah, you know what Bones, I don't think I really want to talk here." He looked around, swallowing before walking away.

Adelaide jumped up, going after him, followed by Nyota, Leonard and Spock. They were already down the street talking, or yelling, when they caught up to them.

"Adelaide, you led me on!" He yelled, holding his hands out in anger. "Here I am, acting like an idiot, trying to get back with you, and yet, you are here fucking one of my best friends!" He cried. In the fresh air, the alcohol reeked off of his body, his eyes clearly glazed.

"Wait, so, you can have sex with any woman you want, but when I finally find someone that makes me happy, I can't be with them? Jim, do you know how hypocritical that is?! I mean, I can look at nearly half the women on this base, and know you've slept with them." She laughed angrily.

"But Bones is my FRIEND! Of ALL the men you could have fucked on this base, you chose HIM?!" His voice cracked. "My GOD Addy, couldn't you have found someone else?! ANYBODY else!"

"Jim, stop it. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but honestly, who I am with is none of your concern. I don't ask who you are sleeping with. Of course, it changes so frequently it wouldn't really matter anyways now would it. Besides, I am not just _fucking_ Leonard. That's what you do on a one night stand, you should know that well Jim. We have been happily in a relationship."

"Are you happy Addy? Are you really?" He glowered angrily.

"Yes, Jim, I am! For the first time in a long time, I am happy!" She spoke quietly.

"You are so unbelievable. Disgusting, that's what you are Addy. To make me think I had a chance while your'e getting your rocks off with Bones. You know, I'm glad I left your ass, Addy. You were never even worth it, I don't know why I even LET myself care about you for so long." He was speaking false words from deep within his anger.

"Hey, Jim, you need to chill." Leonard stepped up. "You can be angry, but dammit Jim, I'm not going to let you disrespect a woman like that." He bristled.

"Oh, please, Bones. She isn't a woman. She's a friend stealing whore. You are even worse. I told you everything, EVERYTHING! You knew how much I cared about her, and yet you swoop in like a vulture and snatch her up! You know what, just, leave me the fuck alone. Everybody." He waved his hands in surrender and left the group.

Nyota didn't understand what was going on, but Spock understood everything. "It would be best for you to let him go for now. I will check on him tonight, but let him sleep off his intoxication. I suggest you two go enjoy the rest of your night." Spock turned to them. Nyota reached in and hugged Addy.

Adelaide was tearing up, angry and embarrassed. Leonard gave her a quick kiss, wiping her first tear away. "Let's just try to enjoy the rest of our night tonight, alright hun? I love you." He whispered against her forehead.

"Love you too Len." She sniffed, wiping her cheeks.

"I'll talk to him tomorrow, alright? But I want to just spend time with you." He held her there on the street, wanting to make her feel better.

"Can we go home?" She looked up with large eyes, making him melt like chocolate in a hot oven. He nodded, and took her back to his place. She had hardly been to his place since Jim was likely to show up to his place unannounced. But it was unlikely he would be coming around that night.

Leonard pulled her in close, as they talked quietly and intimately with one another in bed. Leonards hand gently rubbed her arm and side, making her feel more and more relaxed. Eventually she lulled into a deep slumber, laying into his chest. Leonard was uneasy though, not knowing what he was going to say to Jim the next day. Sleep wasn't easy to come by for him that night, but at least he was able to take comfort in Addy being there with him.

Leonard had coffee ready for her, as she shuffled into his living room in just one of his tank tops and her panties. "Morning sunshine." He smiled, as Addy ran her fingers through her bed hair.

"Hey." She croaked, still groggy. "Awww, thank you babes." She rested her head sleepily on his chest. "Wanna come back to bed and cuddle?" She tempted him.

"Ha, I wish. But, unfortunately, Jim called about 20 minutes ago. He wants to meet up. Just me and him." He shook his head, wishing he didn't have to do this when Addy moaned her protest, holding him tighter.

"Babe, we need to try and clear this up. Alright?" He sighed, holding her. "You and Nyota are going to the gym today, right?" He asked, looking at the clock.

"Yeah, I'm going." She sighed.

"Good, then, you two go, do what you ladies do, I'll go meet Jim." He rubbed the small of her back. "In fact, here, take my card, go do a little bit of shopping, maybe pick up something for dinner? I'll even cook for you tonight." He reached into his wallet, giving her his card.

"Are you sure babe? I mean, I can buy my own things." She blushed, not knowing how to feel about this sudden splurge. She had never had a man who spoiled her like this. She and Jim didn't have a lot of extra money when they were together. She tried dating a couple of guys, but they wanted sex to fast, it turned her off after the second date.

"I'm positive. Go treat yourself. Get your hair done, nails, I don't know, whatever you want. I just want you to feel better, and Spock has said that Nyota is a firm believer in Retail Therapy when she is stressed." Leonard shook his head.

"Yeah, but, Len-"

"No buts, doctors orders. You need retail therapy. Do I need to write you a prescription for it?" He raised an eyebrow, challenging her.

"Alright, sounds good." She stepped back, taking a drink of her coffee. "Oh my, I need to have you make coffee more often." She sighed, savoring the flavor. "That tastes amazing. Jeez Len, you are holding out on me. You can cook and you make amazing coffee, what else aren't you telling me?" She laughed. He gave her a playful spank as she turned to go get dressed.

When she was ready, she gave him a gentle kiss and left back to her place to get her gym clothes. Leonard left to Jims place, anxious.

* * *

"Come in." Jim said lowly, letting Leonard into his place. Spock was there, standing by the window, not paying attention to them. Leonard figured he was probably there for a neutral party.

Both men faced one another in the living room. Jims face was full of emotion, but he couldn't decide which one was stronger at that moment.

"What the HELL were you thinking?!" Jim finally broke.

"Jim, it wasn't intentional." Bones put his hands on his hips. "When we were on the Enterprise, she opened up to me, a lot. She just seemed comfortable, and so we talked a lot. We just carried that on when we got back to Earth, and things just, progressed from there." He tried explaining.

"But Bones, you knew this whole time how much I love her! And yet you still went after her."

"She came after me."

"AND YOU LET HER! YOU ALLOWED IT!" He was livid, but hurt.

"Jim, dammit man, what do you want me to do? I've watched you go through women like water, and finally, I find one woman Jim, ONE woman, that I like, and who likes me! ONE! Can't I have that?" He plead.

"No! Not her! Anybody but HER." Jim paced angrily.

"Jim, She isn't yours, and she hasn't been yours since you left her! Jim, just let her be happy! You just called her a whore who wasn't even worth it naught but what, 12 hours ago? And you expect her to want to run back into your arms?!" Bones stepped back. That set Jim off.

He lunged at Bones, tackling him, before getting up far enough to punch him in the jaw. "All that crap about let her be happy, and to let her go. It's because she was with YOU!" He cried, his anger boiling over. Spock was trying to pull him off, before he could do too much more damage. "FUUUUCK!" Jim screamed out.

Bones clambered to his feet. "You know what Jim, you asked me to make sure she was happy. Well, she is happy. What does it matter if its with me or with someone else. At least its with someone you know will treat her right, not some lowlife who will abuse her." He spat, tasting the blood on his lip. "You know, you definitely alluded that you were less of a culprit in the breakup than she was when you gave me your version of the breakup."

Jim sighed. "I didn't want to admit to being the asshole that I was. But it doesn't mean that I don't want her back." Jim gritted.

"Well, you know what, you can try to get her back, but so far your attempts have failed, haven't they? You know, if you love her so damn much Jim, just stop. Stop all this, tearing open old wounds, let her heal, let her move on." Leonard yelled.

Spocks comm went off, summoning him to the Admirals office. "I have been summoned at headquarters. Doctor, perhaps you would like to walk with me." He looked up at Leonard.

"Nah, I was just going. I've got other things to do today." He growled, leaving Jims apartment quickly.

He waited at his place for Addy to come over. When she came in, and set the groceries down, he began telling her what transpired. She was upset, naturally, but, was happy that Leonard wasn't too terribly hurt. His jaw was a little bruised, and his lip was split, which made him wince when he kissed her too vigorously, but otherwise, he was fine. Shaken perhaps, but fine.

* * *

Adelaide and Leonard enjoyed their time on planet as best they could. Their relationship was well known on base, no more hiding, no more secrecy. As the weather got warmer, they spent more time outdoors, whether they were jogging, swimming, laying in the sun, or playing some other sports with other crewmen. At least on their off days, they were out. During the work days, they would try to catch lunch together. Most days they missed one anothers lunches, since his schedule was far more erratic than hers.

Jim would constantly see them together around base in the evening, laughing and smiling when they went to the bar, or when they went dancing. Spock and Nyota were careful not to speak of them around Jim, and made sure to spend time with Jim as much or more than they did with Addy and Len. Jim seemed to need them more right now, not having his faithful doctor to turn to. But Jim was not so alone as they thought.

He doubled his efforts at keeping a warm bed. Every night, a woman graced his sheets. He was more aggressive in bed as well, working out his anger and his lust on their poor broken bodies. He didn't even let them stick around until morning sometimes. Just as soon as his climax hit, he was handing them their belongings.

He had become more introverted, trying not to be out more than he had to be, but long enough to find something to indulge in. The sun was bright that particular day as Jim briskly made his way to the dining hall. His hunger had drawn him out finally. Of course, he took in the sights, as the women off duty enjoyed the heat in very little clothing. Short shorts, bikini tops, halter tops, bare skin everywhere it seemed. It was that laugh in the distance that made him snap to reality.

Leonard and Addy were sitting at a table with some of the other survivors from the Farragut. It looked like Leonard was trying to feed Addy, but she was moving back, laughing lively. Leonards expression as she wiped sauce on his cheek actually garnered a small smile from Jim. Their laughter taunted him, but it was, in a twisted way, relief. Bones words resounded in his ears, as Jim shook his head and continued inside to eat.

* * *

"Five year mission, that's deep space Spock!" He slapped the mans chest in excitement. Spock was not so sure that this was why they had been summoned by Admiral Pike, but there was no swaying the Captains excitement. He was just as excited and devoted to being a captain, as he was to finding women.

"Captain, are you sure this is why we have been called?" Spock stood with his hands behind his back as they entered the lift.

"What else could it be Spock? There is no reason to call us otherwise." He grinned wildly. A mission to deep space would mean getting away from his problems. He would reassign Bones and Addy. If anything, he could at least reassign Addy, and just avoid Bones. It would be difficult, but, he could try.

"Come in, Kirk, Spock." Admiral Pike closed the door behind them. They stood before his desk as the Admiral sat down.

"Nibiru..." He drew out, "listed as uneventful." He flipped through a file.

"Correct sir."

"Then can you tell me why a civilization who has barely invented the wheel has seen a starship rising out of their ocean?!" Pike threw the file down on his desk.

"You filed a report?" He turned to Spock. He was not expecting his first officer to make a report about their mission to Nibiru. He was distressed, he knew this could end in severe reprimand, not exactly what he needed on his plate at the moment.

By the end of the meeting, Jim was stripped of his captaincy, and ordered back to the Academy. It was the most devastating thing he had ever felt. Not even losing Addy was this painful. The Enterprise was the only thing he had left. It was his pride and joy, to be Captain at such a young age. He was in a daze, walking slowly through the hall towards the lift. He didn't even realize that Bones and Addy were standing, talking to Spock.

"Captain?" Spock lifted his brow, concerned.

"I'm not... I'm." He stammered, swallowed and tried again. "I'm not captain anymore. They took her away." He said, hollow and distant. He didn't even look up, as he just slowly continued. He needed a drink. He needed a few drinks.

* * *

"Admiral." Addy walked into Admiral Pikes office unannounced.

"Commander, you could have knocked."

"I could have."

"What can I do for you?" The admiral sat back.

"Addy, what are you dong?" Leonard stepped in behind her.

"Admiral, did they take the Enterprise from Jim?" She stared into his eyes.

"That isn't your concern, but, yes." He nodded.

"Who is going to take over the ship?" She asked.

"I am."

"Then sir, I implore you, don't send Jim back to the Academy. He is brilliant, Admiral. Please, can you give him time to learn as your first officer?" She sat down, leaning forward over his desk.

"Why? I heard that you two had quite a spat a few weeks ago." He looked her over.

"Yes, we did. But Admiral, Jim is a young captain. He is going to make mistakes. He isn't a bad captain, he just needs to learn what he can and cannot be doing." She sighed.

"But why are YOU coming to bat for him after the fight you had is what I'm asking." He gave ab expectant gaze.

"Because Leonard and I know him best outside of Spock. Jim won't stop trying to get the Enterprise back. That is his baby, and that may well the only thing he really has left." She sighed, hanging her head. She began to muster up her best pitiful tears. "Jim doesn't know what he has, until it's gone, that is his biggest folly, and now that the Enterprise is gone from his grasp, he will realize how to respect the chair. He is unorthodox as a Captain, but, isn't that one of the qualities you liked about him?" She began to pout a little more.

"Commander... I hate you sometimes." He gave a slight grin. "I'll see what I can do."

"Oh, thank you so much Admiral, you won't regret it, I promise." She smiled, dismissing herself.

When she and Leonard got to the lift, he grabbed her hand, turning her to face him.

"Okay, just, bear with me, but, what the hell just happened?" He put a head to his temple.

"Len, come on, you know how much that ship means to Jim." She sighed.

"Yeah, but, after what he said and did, you want to help him?" He shook his head.

"Len, I don't want to spend my life holding grudges. I hold no ill will towards him. I'm happy, and nothing can bring me down, but, now Jim needs something to look forward to. I mean, it won't be his captaincy back, but it's a start, right?"

"Yeah, but, I mean, jeez."

"Sweetie, it's just who I am." She sighed. "I just want to help." She began to pout a little again, knowing that Leonard of all men couldn't resist her sad eyes.

"Addy, I know." He pulled her in, before stepping onto the lift. "What am I going to do with you?" He shook his head.

* * *

Jim was sulking at the bar, drinking whiskey on the rocks. His life was crumbing around him, and he didn't know how much more he could take before he just threw it all away. His friend and his ex together, his ship was gone, and it was slim pickings for women that night.

Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention as he turned to meet the gaze of a pretty brunette. She was definitely dressed to get attention, and with Jim, she had it. He looked down at his glass and turned back to talk to her, but was interrupted by Admiral Pike taking a seat.

"Perfect timing, Admiral." He winced, taking another shot.

"Yeah, well, I figured I'd come by and tell you in person." He said, ordering a beer. "They gave her back to me. The Enterprise." He nodded.

"Well, congratulations." Jim said wryly.

"They've granted me to have you as first officer."

"What about Spock?"

"He's been reassigned."

"Can I ask you a favor then, sir?"

"What's that Jim?"

"Doctor McCoy, and Commander Myers, well, I've had a falling out with them. I would ask that they both be reassigned." He swallowed.

"No deal."

"Sir, I don't think I can work with them. It's, complicated."

"Well, whatever it is, get over it. They're the ones that talked me into bringing you on as first officer. Commander Myers can make a very persuasive argument when she wants. So, I brought it up to the board, and they agreed." He took a swig from his bottle.

"What?" Jim was trying to digest his words.

"Yeah. After the meeting, she stormed into my office and argued that you should stay, and be mentored as first officer instead of going back to Academy. Adelaide and Leonard. She said that once you've lost the Enterprise, you'll stop at nothing to get it back, so, I'm giving you a chance to try and earn her back." He put down his money and left.

Jim looked down at his empty glass, with a half melted ice cube in it, and sighed. He pulled out his comm, and punched in the numbers.

"Hey, Bones. I need to talk to you." He sighed.

* * *

"Babe, Jim is coming over, you might want to get dressed." He bent down and kissed Addys calf as it was propped up against the railing of his balcony. They had been enjoying dessert in the fresh air.

"Awwww, Len. Clothes are supposed to come off by this time of night, not go on." She purred.

"You are one bad kitty, but don't think I won't take those clothes back off when he leaves." He growled. She was in a short pink nightie, and slippers in the warm air. The last shreds of light were dimming in the far sky, and the stars were beginning to glitter overhead.

She came back out in a pair of stretch pants, and a thin short sleeved tee. "Is there anything you can wear that makes you look terrible?" Leonard voiced shaking his head.

"Well, I could try a potato sack next time." She grinned.

"Nah, wouldn't work darlin, I'd rip that sack to shreds to get to you." He kissed her shoulder, swaying to a song that neither one of them could hear, before a doorbell interrupted them.

Leonard answered, and stepped aside to let Jim in. Addy was washing the dishes from their meal in the kitchen.

"What can I do for you, Jim?" Leonard was still a bit leery about Jim, still hurt by his words towards Addy.

"Look, I um. I heard what you guys did, with the Admiral." He spoke modestly. "I, I appreciate it."

"Nothin' to it Jim, you are still a friend to me and Addy, and we will still care about ya." Leonard looked towards the kitchen.

"I know I was a real dick, and, we are going to be working together, so I want to try and make things easier." Jim stepped towards the door. He was halfway out when he stopped. "I'm, glad that she found you Bones. She really does deserve a better man." He left it at that, leaving.

Bones nodded, watching him walk down the hall, and disappear into the lift.

"Um, that was awkward." Adelaide bit her lip, stepping into the living room. Bones was still standing at the door in thought.

"Yeah... Yeah it was." He nodded. Bones took his lovely woman into his arms, and sighed, happy that to some degree, it seemed he had the blessing of his friend.

Jim went back to the bar he was at, hoping that the saucy brunette was still there. He was in more than luck to find that she was there, and willing. After some oral temptation at the club, leaving trace kisses across her neck. He could barely keep his hands off of her as he led her back to his place. The woman had slid down under the sheets, taking his length into her mouth. Jim had felt it all before, this woman was nothing new or different or special about this woman, but he realized now, that women were just an addiction to him. They had grown from a crutch, to an addiction, and Addy, now, was the one woman he couldn't seem to get. Well, her and Nyota, but then again he wasn't interested in getting into a fight with Spock.

He placed his hands behind his head, letting his body enjoy whatever pleasure he would derive from this session, a weight having been lifted off of his heart and his shoulders.


	5. Euphoria

**I do not own nor profit from Star Trek or Gene Roddenberrys creations.**

* * *

After the emotionally charged events that found Jim back into the captains seat, he was glad he had forgiven and tried to accept the relationship between Addy and Bones. He needed as many friends and as much support as he could muster. Getting his ship back costed him his friend, Admiral Pike. The man who encouraged him to enlist in star fleet, who gave him that chance to prove he would be a good officer and captain. Perhaps he felt close to the Admiral, because it was the closest thing he had to his father.

Their mission was to track down the Admirals killer, John Harrison, to the Klingon world of Kronos. He was given a payload of long range missiles to use against him, and permission to hunt him down and destroy him like the dog he is. There was nothing better he could think of than to see John Harrison dead in pieces on some forgotten desolate world. Nobody to claim his body, nobody to miss his existence. However, leave it to Spock to plant that seed of morality in him. To give him a fair trial as he deserved, but Jim wrestled with that notion. Why should John get justice, when Pike didn't?

They were already well on their way when Jim gave the ship wide message as to their mission. Spocks words had moved a small part in him as he announced they'd capture Harrison to bring him back for trial. He was still unsure about his decision, but it was the best one that he could think of that didn't include possibly destroying his ship with unknown munitions, or leaving the murder of Harrison on his conscience.

Addy was wrapping a young womans ankle as Bones flipped through his PADD, sitting in the stool across the aisle. "You are far too obsessed with whatever it is you are looking at in there." She smirked, glancing over her shoulder.

"It's Carol Marcus' records. She is a last minute addition to this mission, and I want to know more about her." He said lazily.

"Ooh, interested in her are we?" She joked, laughing as bones gave her a sarcastic look. He was stressed beyond his limits, especially with the knowledge that they were going to the very edge of enemy territory, as if being in space wasn't bad enough now they were tempting the fates. He still hadn't done a preflight exam on Jim, and he and Addy hadn't had relations in nearly a week thanks to their schedules.

She finished wrapping the womans ankle, as her friend helped her up and out of medbay. Addy wiped down the table, and stood in front of Bones. "Len, sweetie, whats wrong?" She rested her hands on the back of his neck, looking down to him. He sighed angrily, resting his head on her stomach.

"I'm just stressed doll. Nothing a little R and R won't fix." He grumbled.

"But, this isn't quite you, stressed." She looked concern. "I won't push, but, if you need to talk, just, come to me." She sighed, stroking his neck and ears gently. He groaned, loving the feeling of her nails gently raking against his skin. It sent shivers down his spine, and nearly relaxed him instantly. Something that only her skill could do to him.

"I'll tell you what." She squatted down in front of him, holding his free hand. "When you come to bed tonight, I'll give you a nice massage, and you can just relax. Alright?" She whispered, giving him a reassuring smile. She didn't wait for him to respond, as she continued with her duties.

The end of his shift could not come sooner. She had already left, and he trudged back to his room after dinner ready to collapse. Well, he _was_ ready to collapse. Addy stood next to the bed in her black satin chemise. It hugged her figure snugly, as she stood holding a bottle of oil. She had been expecting him, so he made out by her smirk.

"Ohh, Addy you are going to be the death of me." He breathed out.

"Well, not too soon, I still like you." She laughed heartily, always joking with him. He stripped down and stood next to her. "Well, go on, lay down." She urge.

He lay on his stomach, feeling her straddle his hips for leverage. He moaned, and sighed as soon as her fingers began to work on his shoulders and shoulder blades. The knot at the top up his blades relaxed under her touch, and a thrilling, tingling sensation went through his body. Her hands worked up and down his neck, back and arms for well on an hour, leaving little kisses where she could. Her hands moved down, massaging his calves, down to his Achilles and heel, to his feet and back up the front as she made him turn over. He was erect, as she moved her fingers up his quads.

"Darlin, do you see what youre doing to me?" He moaned, then gasped as she took him into her mouth. "Oh jeez what are you doing to me?" He realized he was so far under her spell.

Her moans buzzed against his length sending sensations through his body. She pulled away with a light pop and smiled. "Well, this is sort of a full body massage, isn't it?" She asked with false innocence.

""You bet it is." He looked down at her. She was working her way up, finally resting on his piece, fitting it between her lower lips. She began to grind along the length, feeling the tip rub against her clit in long stroking movements. Bones' hands held her thighs as she massaged his pecs. She teased him, letting his tip catch against her entrance, allowing his head to barely enter her, and she must have known it drove him wild.

When he thought he couldn't take anymore and was ready to slam himself into her, she finally relented, slowly dropping her hips all the way onto him. He tightened and jerked feeling her, every time seemed to feel like the first time, especially after a week of no intimacy. Neither one of them were anticipating a long romp, both so charged with passion, they just wanted to feel their release. Bones breath quickened, and he sat up, holding her chest to him, taking her lips with his as he came. She released right after him, and slowed down, just enjoying him inside of her.

They enjoyed the rest of their night, not knowing what maelstrom was soon going to enter their lives.

* * *

"Hey, Bones, can I get you to go to the surface with us? We need someone medical minded in case things go wrong." Jim sat down on Bones desk while Addy charted.

"No, I've got to catch up on these medical charts, but, when Addy's done, you can take her with you." He murmured, pointing over his shoulder to the woman sitting at the other desk in his office.

"Are you up for that Addy? A trip to the surface to get Harrison? I'll need someone there to make sure we are okay if something happens... Or to make sure that he is okay if anything happens." He smirked confidently.

"Umm, yeah, I think I can do that." She mused, not looking at him. "When do we leave?" She wrote something down.

"Ten minutes. Wear your street clothes. If we run into any Klingons, I don't want them to identify us with the federation." He arched his eyebrow at his order, "meet us down in the cargo bay." He left her with that.

"Now, you better be careful." She heard Bones stern voice in her ear, his arms wrapped around her waist. Out of character for him, he held her from behind there in his office.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have volunteered me." She had giggled, but knew he had far too much to do onboard, and he wouldn't trust anybody else to go in his stead. He held her tighter.

"I love you, just be careful." He whispered, kissing her neck.

"I will be. Don't worry." She smiled before leaving to their room to put on her own clothes. Well, hers and bones. One of his t-shirts, and her own jeans, with her formfitting leather jacket. Quickly, she ran back to medbay to give Bones a deep kiss before going to the cargo bay.

* * *

She hated the little shuttle they were stuck on. Only because the closer she got to the surface, she further she got from Leonard. That and she was stuck on the craft with a man who spent the better part of a year trying to get with her, two guards she didn't know, and a couple that was fighting. By the time they got low to the ground, they heard Sulu's voice sending out a message to John Harrison, urging him to surrender.

Their luck diminished the closer they got to the surface of the seemingly desolate planet. They were quickly assailed by three Klingon patrol ships. Thanks to the maneuvering skills of Jim, they hardly scraped through a chasm between two structures, but their attempt to run was in vain. On the other side, the ships were waiting, ordering them down to the ground. They were surrounded. Their only chance now was to let Uhura do what she was brought to do, try to talk to them, and appeal to their... Well, Addy wasn't so sure Klingons had a good nature, but she hoped that whatever Uhura said would be enough to get them out of this mess.

To be safe, the rest of the crew took up arms, preparing to fight their way out of a battle. When the person she assumed was the leader of the Klingon band became aggressive with Uhura, they moved out, firing at the enemy with all they had. Addy wasn't used to fighting, she was used to healing, but she wasn't a terrible shot. She had managed to pick off a couple of Klingons, but was caught off guard.

Addy had turned around the corner of some large debris, coming face to face with pale blue eyes. Before she could apprehend anymore, she was assailed by a face full of powder. It caked her jacket and hair, and filled her lungs. She coughed, before falling into a violent sneezing fit. Her eyes watered and she couldn't focus on the battle around her, falling to her hands and knees. She couldn't identify exactly what she had been hit with, but she knew it was a drug of some sort.

When the noise around her died down, she heard her name. It sounded so close, but it echoed as if he was calling for her from the top of a deep canyon. Everything around her that she saw was surrounded by a multicolored halo, but the colors other times were so vivid it didn't seem real that the richness of color would exist.

"Addy! Addy, tell me you're alright. Bones will kill me if you get hurt." Jim bent over her, picking her up. She was just barely recovering from her sneezing fit.

"Dr-drugged." She barely mumbled out trying to push him away. She flew forward, sneezing again, sending a cloud of powder up into Jims breathing space. He didn't have time to register her words and react to the onslaught of drugs before he too was sneezing and coughing.

"S-SPOCK! UHURAAA!" He cried out as loud as he could, his throat drying out.

"Oh my god, Addy, Captain, what happened?!" Uhura was running up on them, but stopped when she saw the powder.

"Oh, my god..." Addy rolled over onto her back, her world rocked. Jim struggled to tell them that they were drugged, quite evident by Addys reaction. She was laying on the ground, rubbing stomach and breasts, moaning. "Wow, this is... oh god it's amazing." She moaned out. Jim noticed he had grown hard, a reaction no doubt of the drug, though seeing Addy rubbing herself didn't hurt.

"Lieutenant, it would be best to get the captain and commander back to the ship. I will get a sample of this substance for Doctor McCoy to loo-" Spock was interrupted.

"No need to do that." John Harrison gave a devilish grin. "I will tell you exactly what they've been tainted with." He turned and walked to their awaiting shuttle. Spock began to follow but Uhura grabbed his arm.

"Spock, you aren't going to leave them here are you?" She glared.

"On the contrary Nyota, I am going to have them beamed back to the ship. We can not quarantine them on the shuttle, and can not risk ourselves getting infected by this." Spock kissed her tenderly. "Trust me." He whispered, uncharacteristically showing her affection in the middle of a mission. "Enterprise come in."

"_Enterprise here."_

"Prepare to beam two, have medical and quarantine on hand." He stated.

"_Enterprise to receive two persons, beaming pad cleared, stand by."_

Spock and Nyota watched as they disappeared. Addy was a mess, and Jim wasn't too far behind.

* * *

"Move, out of the way, CMO here, move it!" Bones pushed his way through the bodies that blocked his way towards the transport room. He had just heard of two bodies and quarantine, and he immediately feared the worst.

Instead, he saw Addy and Jim laying on the transport pad, rubbing themselves, lolling back and forth, blissfully unaware of their surroundings.

For Addy, she saw the bright lights of the Enterprise, and heard the voice of Leonard, that particular southern drawl that was unmistakable.

"Adelaide, dammit, what happened?" He looked over the two on the floor as the hazardous materials team cleared them for transport to medbay.

"Oh, Leonard..." She sighed, rubbing her hip bone with enough pressure to make her believe he was on top of her. Everything she felt, every touch, was amplified. The slightest touch felt like an erotic massage. She didn't know how to react as the gloved hands rinsed her free of the powder that intoxicated her. Everytime she was touched, it turned her on more and more, unintentionally so. All she could see was Leonards face in her mind, giving her this unimaginable pleasure.

"Jeez, what is going on here?" He hit his comm, hailing Spock. "What the hell happened down there Spock? Theyre rolling around likes pigs in a pigpen!"

"_I believe that have been hit with Hupyrian Beetle Snuff. That is what John Harrison admits to exposing them to. I imagine you are going to be running a test on the substance." _Spock replied.

"you can bet your ass I'll be testing it." He replied before cutting him off. "That has to be one hell of a dose to act like this." He muttered to himself, finally having the nurses move them into a private room in medbay. He didn't want the crew to see the captain or his girlfriend in that state.

Bones stroked Addys arm, startled as she moaned like she was having an orgasm. "Leonard, that felt amazing, baby..." She held his arm, breathing heavily, sweating, as though they had just had a sex marathon. He had to bite his tongue. He knew if he was alone with her, he would take her, giving her pleasure like she had never experienced before, but then he wasn't alone... And he didn't want to give her pleasure to great that she would be bored with him when she was off of her high.

Once he got their vitals, he left. There was nothing he could do with the beetle snuff itself, other than let the euphoria pass. For now, he could at least analyze the contents, keeping an eye on their vitals. He was far too interested in analyzing the contents of the powder sample taken from her coat. He had to be sure though, that there was nothing else in there that he was missing. That could be the difference between life and death sometimes.

He looked at the clock. He had been analyzing the powder for nearly forty minutes. Spock entered behind him.

"Doctor, how is your study coming along?"

"Meh, I can't find traces of anything else, just, beetle powder, basically." He sighed.

"And the captain and commander?" He arched a brow, looking down at the monitor that showed their room.

"Yeah, they should be alright, I just don't know why they are so affected." He sighed, finally walking around to the front of the monitor where Spock was standing. "My god..." His heart dropped, his face twisted in horror as he ran to the private room.

Addy was sitting on the edge of the bio-bed, Jim standing between her thighs, grinding into her. Her head was leaned back, sweating, as he held her chest close. His hands kneaded at her back, begging to remove the cloth. They were both flushed, breathing heavy. She gripped his shirt, moaning loudly, her legs wrapped around him. "Leonard, please, take me baby, please." She half moaned, half cried, biting Jims shoulder. Jim began to rub her apex with his own with vigor, yelling out in ecstasy, his eyes snapping open.

Spock pulled Jim away, holding him, while Bones tended to Addy. Her pupils were so dilated, he wouldn't have been able to tell the color of her eyes if he hadn't known her. She continued to grind into Bones, begging for affection, moaning louder, as she came to an orgasm against the doctors hip.

"Doctor, perhaps, you have a change of clothes?" Spock looked away from Jim, who was still rubbing his thighs together, unable to control his hips. There by the crotch of his uniform was a wet spot, where he had obviously been stimulated enough by grinding against Addy. Of course Bones wanted to thrash Jim. He felt cheated by them both.

"Restrain them both. I'll have a nurse sit in here with them." He growled angrily, still locked in the grasp of Addys thighs, as she moaned his name, sighing and moaning, grinding against him. Of course he was getting hard from her, but he was angry, and he wasn't sure he was up for just letting this event go. When he peeled himself away from her for her to be restrained, he left, with a great pain on his heart.

* * *

He laid in bed that night alone for the first time in a very long time. It was hard, as he kept seeing Jim and Addy together whenever he looked at where he form normally slept. His stomach churned. By the next morning, the bags under his eyes made it clear he hadn't slept well. He was snappy and angry, not having the patience for any stupidity.

Nyota and Spock had come to med bay to check on the crew mates.

"Ah, yeah. Nothing happened... Well, nothing ELSE happened." He spat, unable to quell the feelings.

"Go ahead Nyota." Spock urged his girlfriend. When she disappeared into the room, he turned to the doctor.

"Doctor, if I may. Hupyrion beetle, oddly enough, is an honest stimulant, the way they say that alcohol brings out the truth in humans." Spock stood next to the doctor with his hands behind his back, watching as Nyota visited on the monitor, something that Bones was paying MUCH more attention to. He was so used to Addy being on top of which patients were there, and making sure they were taken care of, he never looked at the monitors anymore. Today coming in, he had to remember, he doesn't have Addy to take care of his patients, he has these less competent nurses.

"Whats your point?" He bemoaned.

"Well, yesterday, Adelaide was calling for you. Jim was calling for nobody. So, I hope it brings you some measure of comfort, that even through her unintentional drugging, you were still at the forefront of her mind, and her heart." Bones turned and met eyes with him.

"But you know their history. Its... Difficult. I know he wants her, in some way."

"Yes, but, again, he was not calling for her. He was just seeing a woman. Any woman. She, however, was only seeing you. They were given very high doses, Doctor, try not to hold it against them. It is a wonder they acted as tame as they did. Others can become purely manic, or procreate with anything and everything nearby." Spock offered.

Bones just shook his head and went back to work. Addy and Jim were sleeping heavily. Their bodies had undergone so much the previous day, they were completely drained. Jim was moved out to the main bay, so that his visitors could come by and see him. He kept Addy locked away in the private room where only he could have eyes on her. This new, overwhelming sense of jealousy didn't become him, but he didn't know what else to say or do. He had a sudden overwhelming possessive attitude.

Bones sat next to her, doing his work from her bedside that day. She still moaned his name through her slumber, making his heart flutter. She had rolled over in her bed, reaching out wildly for him, crying like a scared kitten, until Bones finally held his hand out to her. She grabbed it, sighing, pulling it into her as she calmed. She was oblivious to the world, but knew when he was not not sleeping in bed with her. This broke his heart, yet made his leap for joy in the same moment.

"Addy." He sighed, loving and hating her all at once. Spock was right, but it didn't make it hurt any less. He kept a close eye on her for the remainder of the day until his shift was over, and even then, he pulled out a blanket, and laid back in the other bio bed that naught but earlier that day held the captain in it. It was a minute respite from his misery to be at least laying with her in the same room, though they had to have separate beds.

When the nurse woke him up the following morning, he had nearly forgotten that he had slept in the bay, and his first instinct was to reach next to him to cover the form of Addy, but she was not there. She was on the other side of the room, still deep in slumber. Sometime during the night though, she stopped moaning and turning so much, and was finally able to rest. Her vitals had come down and stabilized, but she was refusing to wake up just yet.

She looked peaceful though, and that meant something. He just wasn't sure now, if he wanted to fill her in on the details of her inebriated state. If she didn't remember, then why bother telling her? The anger had worn off sometime during the night, as understanding set in. In his doctors mind, he likened it to recovering from anesthesia. You don't really know what you are doing or saying, He remembered watching a patient recover from surgery once, and when he saw his wife, he spoke his heart, and thought she was the most gorgeous woman in the world, not realizing that the woman he thought was so gorgeous was actually married to him. He knew that man was in love then. Perhaps thats how it was with Addy?

"Ghaaa, Boooones" He heard a long drawn out desperate plea call out from the main bay. Jim was recovering from the drug. Bones walked out briskly, getting his tricorder to make sure that his vitals were also stable. "Bones, there you are, oh, jeez." Jim was still lolling and sluggish as he tried to sit up.

"Easy there Jim. You might be pretty woozy for a bit." Bones cautioned, putting his arm out to stabilize him.

"Yeah, I can see that." He tried to shake the feeling. "Wait, h-hows Addy?" He looked up. Bones heart wrenched.

"She is fine. Still sleeping. I imagine she will be for a while longer. She got a much higher dose than you did." Bones spoke slowly, glancing back to her room.

Jim squinted a little, and looked past Bones, trying to recall something. "Did... Did I do anything last night?" He cautiously asked Bones, giving a sideways wince. Bones sat and debated.

"Yes." He finally spoke plainly. "You were grinding Addy, and you ejaculated on yourself in the process. She didn't know it was you, she thinks it was me." Leonard gave him a little hope.

Jim held his head, a look of disbelief. "Oh my god, Bones. I am so, so very sorry, I-" He was unable to finish, feeling terribly ashamed. He needed his friend, he wasn't meaning to cause harm to their friendship.

"Well, one of the drugs properties is an aphrodisiac, so, it isn't surprising. Especially since you two were left alone for a while. I was expecting a nurse to keep tabs on you, but I guess I can't trust them to do that." He sighed. "Don't worry Jim. It wasn't as bad as it could have been." He looked down, leaning against the biobed. All Jim could offer was another quiet apology.

* * *

After Jim was released, he stopped by occasionally to check on Addy under the supervision of Bones only, and to update him on the repairs on their crippled ship. Bones had Addy moved out of medbay, now that she was just simply in a deep sleep, and had her sleeping in their bed. Though she got nothing from it, he felt better and slept easier, feeling her body against his at night.

It was early morning when Addy began to stir. Bones felt her pull away, which was normal, but then he felt more movement in the bed. He turned the dim light on, and watched as she sat up. She looked scared, terrified, even as she turned to him.

"Len..." She squeaked out, tears forming. "I- what happened?" She cried softly. Leonard pulled her in, rocking her gently, stroking her hair, shushing her sweetly.

"I'ts alright darlin. You're alright. I'm here for you." He kissed her temple as her sobs died down. "You just had a strong reaction to some drugs you were hit with.

"But, I... oh... oh god." She whispered, and held her stomach, feeling physically sick. Bones knew then that she knew what had happened between her and Jim. "No no no no no..." She shook her head, not wanting to believe it. "Leonard, I'm, oh... god I'm so sorry, what have I done?" She cried harder, pushing him away. She could not stand being in his comforting arms when she felt she had done him so wrong. Her weakened legs stumbled to the bathroom, as she sat under the hot water of the shower, crying into the droplets that graced her face.

She felt ashamed that her body derived so much pleasure from Jims body, while she had been committed to Leonard. It sickened her to have Jim on her, and she had to wonder if perhaps Jim had taken advantage of her debilitated state, unable to recall the events on Kronos at that time. She had reserved her body for Leonard, and felt she had betrayed everything they had. Had she been smarter, or faster, maybe she wouldn't have been drugged in the first place. What else happened, that perhaps she didn't remember? All she could do was hold her nauseated stomach and cry.

It was twenty minutes before Bones came knocking on the door. He wanted to allow her some privacy, but got worried when he didn't hear her. Opening the door, she saw her sitting there in the shower. He squatted down next to her. "Darlin, everything is okay." He sighed, not feeling too confident in his own words. He wasn't angry anymore, but he wasn't sure it was okay for her. He reached in and pet her hair.

"Leonard, I just, feel disgusting. Like I turned on you, on everything." She choked out. "Everything I wanted from this, and I feel like I just threw it all away. I don't want to lose you." She rested her forehead on her knees, more afraid that she had just lost the best man in her life.

"You didn't throw anything away doll, and I am not going to throw this away either. Come on sunshine." He urged, trying to reassure her. "Would it help to know that you called my name?" He cocked a brow, in his typical fashion, making her smile.

"That must have been awkward." She sniffed sadly, trying to front humor.

"Well, it was for me, but in the end it was flattering that you were thinking about me through all that fuzzy brain of yours." He held her chin, and leaned into the water stream to steal a kiss. "Don't be so hard on yourself there hon'. We can get through this, but we do it together." He gave a soft smile, and she nodded, ready to get out of the shower. Bones helped her dry, still feeling weakened and exhausted, and pulled her back into bed, holding her tightly, never wanting to let her go, as she was his, and he refused for her to be taken away.

* * *

There was very little they could do during the assault by the Vengeance, other than try to treat what casualties came in through their doors. It was a busy time for Bones and Addy. She was still recovering from her own issues, and Bones was on her every day making sure she ate, though her appetite wasn't there. He wanted to make sure she was as healthy as possible, though she was still tired more now than she was before. She struggled to make it through the assault, her mind still in a light haze, but she still barked out orders and tried to keep the medbay running smooth. Her stomach never quite settled from the sickness it felt when she woke up, but she decided that it would go away once she got over the emotional guilt and hurt she felt.

Bones had been analyzing John Harrisons, now known to the crew as Khan, blood, The cells regenerated like nothing he had ever seen. As an experiment, he injected a little bit of the blood into a dead tribble. "Len, thats so gross." Addy shook her head, feeling queasy.

"Well, it might be, but that mans blood is like a miracle." He argued. It was hard to keep up on his experiment when he had a full bay. They were running off of backup power at this point. Jim and John were gone on the Vengeance, and Spock had to decide whether he would evacuate the crew or not. He wouldnt evacuate the entire crew, but he thought to evacuate medbay, and the least mobile patients.

"Doctor, I am ordering you to evacuate your patients to med shuttle 19. In the case of imminent evacuation, they are least likely to make it. Send Commander Myers along with them as your second in command she should be charged with their care until they reach Earth." He ordered sternly over the comm.

"Understand." Leonard spoke grimly. Adelaide stepped out of the bathroom looking pale, lightly glistening with sweat. She wiped her mouth, and Bones knew right away she had just thrown up. "Addy, are you sure youre alright?" Bones was concerned.

"Yes hon, it's just stress. I'll be over it soon." She smiled sweetly.

"Well, you are headed back to Earth with the yellow through black." He stated. She furrowed her brow.

"But, I don't want to leave you Len." She huffed.

"Well you don't much have a choice." He grimaced.

"Why am I taking the blacks? They're ready for the morgue, there isn't much I can do for them." She looked out into the medbay seeing a few black triage tags.

"Well, they are black-tagged while they are here, but if we can get them back to Earth, to a higher echelon of care, then they can be promoted to red-tags, and the red-tags can be promoted to yellow-tags. But, I need you to get them to Earth first." Bones stood up, holding her waist. Her color was returning to her cheeks.

"But what about you?" She sniffled.

"I'll be fine sweet cheeks. You can bet your ass I'll be just fine. When we get back to base, I'll find you. Alright?" He tried to reassure her. She was overwhelmed with the fear that he would be destroyed here on his ship, his body lost to space, as her parents had been. But she nodded, reluctantly accepting her orders.

Leonard, Addy and three other nurses moved everyone with yellow, red and black tags to med shuttled 19. Once they were all in and secured, and a shuttle pilot fired up the engine ready to leave, Bones stepped out. Addy stood on the ramp to the shuttle.

"Promise you'll come back." Her eyes glistened.

"I'll promise that if I come back, I'll find you." He sighed. He didn't like making false promises, and he couldn't guarantee he would be returning. She took a deep shaky breath, trying to suppress her sorrow.

"Leonard McCoy. I love you." She spoke strongly, as if throwing it in defiance to the gods.

"I love you too, Adelaide." He sighed. He watched her disappear into the shuttle, the door clanging behind her.

Addy had to remain strong as she cared for the patients that counted on her. She guiltily pushed Leonard from her mind and focused on those that needed her.

When they had gotten halfway between the moon and Earth, she called ahead to the fleet hospital, calling in the amount of patients, how many of each tag color she had, and how many emergency crews she needed to care for them all. The turbulence made it difficult to provide care when they broke through the atmosphere. One woman had ripped out her IV in a deranged panic, and Addy had to replace it. She needed Bones steady hands with all the movement, because that man could thread silk through a fine needle in the middle of an earthquake, she swore.

When she looked out of the window into the night, she could see the red and white flashing lights of the emergency crews ready to transport her patients, and now two corpses, to the hospital. Unfortunately, one man had gone into cardiac arrest during the shuttle flight, and they were unable to revive him. Another had gone into respiratory failure, most likely the result of what was quite possibly a collapsed lung, or some spontaneous Pneumothorax.

With 23 other patients, 14 of them critical, she didn't have the time to attend to them and bring them back from the brink. Was it painful? Very. She had done so well so as not to lose any of her patients, but she was responsible for their safe transport, and she took their deaths personally.

She was shuttled to the hospital, giving report on all of the patients, trying to give them as much information as she could about their treatments and efforts up until that point. It was the longest night in her life, and all she could think of, was when she would see Leonard again.


	6. Life Anew

**I do not own nor profit from Star Trek or Gene Roddenberrys creations.**

* * *

Adelaide was sent home late that morning, after she had done all she can to help the hospital staff. She was thankful to leave, feeling sick still, and enjoying the cool air across her face. It helped her a little, as she stopped off at a store, grabbing ginger ale, sprite, crackers and fruit. Though she didn't have much of an appetite, she needed to eat something. Her sick stomach bubbled in illness, and growled in hunger.

As soon as she felt her couch under her, she fell asleep, exhausted. The ill feeling that plagued her had sapped her strength, compounded with the attack they had suffered through. Her heart was heavy with worry, as all her closest friends were on the Enterprise, a dead ship. There was no telling if Jim would make it back to the Enterprise, or if they would be able to land safely, or if they would end up crashing into whatever planet caught them in its gravitational pull.

It was a deafening rumble that woke her from her uneasy sleep. The floor shook underneath of her. She ignored common sense and went to the window to look out over the distance. She looked out over the bay, to her left, in the distance, the Vengeance had crashed into San Francisco. Her heart beat wildly. The last she knew, Jim was on that ship, and there was no telling that he had managed to get out of there. She fell to her knees, watching the devastation unfold, and prayed for the safety of her crew mates.

Sickness came over her, but she had to ignore it. Her duty was to attend to Star Fleet. With this ruin, she would be called, as would all other able bodies, to help triage and treat the wounded, and to be on standby, as medical staffs would certainly be overwhelmed. Others would be called on to help assist in search and rescue, others for crowd control.

She threw on her uniform, it was her skintight, short sleeve, yet breathable uniform. This way her clothes wouldn't get caught, she had complete flexibility, and she didn't have to worry about her long sleeves dragging across blood or other bodily excretions. She pulled up her boots, clipped on her comm and rank insignia for this particular uniform, and ran like she had never done before towards the fleet hospital so she could get her orders.

Time was irrelevant as she was sent out to the triage areas that were being set up. She ushered in people who came to her station, dusty, crying, limping, in shock, and bleeding. She did what she could to help, many of the people she saw were just in shock, and needed to calm down somewhere. Others had minor abrasions and cuts, some had more major injuries and those were the ones sent on to the hospital in the med shuttles. As the day wore on and the light began to fade, there seemed to be no end to the people who were being found in the rubble and carried into the triage tents. Their supplies were dwindling, as the doctor in charge argued with the local hospitals for them to send supplies to him.

It seemed in vain to call upon them, but, it was worth a try. Addy shook her head as the doctor yelled in frustration. "Sorry doc, that isn't going to help us any. They're dicks up there, in their offices, and away from the blood. Those who yay or nay the transfer of supplies have long forgotten what it's like to have someone dying in front of them." She patted his shoulder reassuringly, though it did nothing to improve the young doctors mood.

"Well, I'm glad you are comfortable doing this." He gritted.

"Well, aren't you?" She arched her brow.

"No! I graduated from med school, joined star fleet, I figured I'd just be working in the clinics, thats where I wanted to be. I'm not used to this... business, and the trauma." He gritted, the stress of his position catching up with him.

"Well look here doc. You are the one in charge here, alright? So as a good doctor I know would say, you gotta pick yerself up by yer bootstraps, and keep on movin." She tried to imitate Leonards accent. "

"I don't know if I can." He said quietly, afraid of making a mistake, of accidentally killing someone, never having tested his skills like this.

"Well, look, you've got me here, and I'm used to emergencies and crisis. So, you have questions, talk to me." She clapped his shoulder and walked away to tend to an incoming patient. The young man that came in had a large laceration over his eye, looking much worse than it really was. She gingerly washed it with moist gauze, and sterile water as he winced.

"Well, you certainly got it, didn't you? Can you tell me how it happened?" She asked casually, needing to know if there may have been more trauma unseen.

"I-I was in the building... and it just fell in." He said, stifling a cry, his throat tightening up. "I was hit in the head, and, thats all I remember until someone came and found me." He looked up at her with his dark eyes.

She took out her penlight, and checked his pupils. One reacted, but the other didn't, telling her that there was probably serious trauma underneath. "I'm going to send you on up to the hospital, alright?" She rubbed his shoulder gently. "Let me go ahead and stitch this up first though, alright?" She sat down next to his head on a stool, and began to delicately stitch his cut, using fine thread. When she was done, she called the medical shuttle team over to take him up to the next echelon.

The dark night was chilly, as she began to shiver, the stream of patients slowing down. In a moment of downtime, she washed down the beds and tidied up the floor from the used medical debris. "Here." The young doctor she had talked to earlier handed her his lab jacket. "You look cold." He offered.

"Thank you. Yeah, it is a bit chilly." She agreed, putting his jacket on, tightening it around her body. "I didn't even think about it, wearing this stupid thing." She laughed, looking at her uniform.

"Well, a lot of things happened today that we didn't think about." He sighed, pulling out a cigarette as they stepped outside the tent, waiting to receive any more patients. He caught her eye. "Yeah, bad habit I know. I've been cutting back, but, well, not today." He chuckled darkly, lighting up. She watched the smoke curl around his mouth and nostrils as he exhaled, savoring the flavor of the tobacco.

He offered her a drag but she refused. "My guy would kill me if he heard I took a puff of a cigarette. Besides, it never appealed to me." She sighed. He shrugged and kept smoking.

The dawn was upon them when the young man, Dr. Charles she learned his name was, dismissed her. He noticed how exhausted she looked. She was finally realizing how sick she was feeling again, now that her mind wasn't so occupied on the patient care. When she got back to her apartment, she collapsed in front of her toilet, groaning in misery before vomiting. She had been feeling worse, and was getting nervous that this was an after effect of the drugs. She began to shiver, as she retched violently, sweating.

Addy brushed her teeth, and washed her face, before sipping on some ginger ale, and crawling into bed. She pulled Leonards pillow in close and pulled the blankets up tight around her shoulders, just trying to soothe her stomach enough so she could sleep before reporting to the hospital in the morning. The morning brought no relief from her illness, as she stumbled out of bed. She was barely able to make some tea, before throwing up again. She growled in anger, frustrated by feeling so sick and weak.

When she went to the hospital that day, she got into a supply closet taking out a test stick, and sticking it in her pocket. A nurse had come in behind her and smiled at her as she reached for some syringes. Addy nodded and smiled, leaving her alone.

"Adelaide!" She heard her name yelled out. She turned and saw Nyota running towards her.

"Wow, wait when did you guys get here? When did you guys touch down?" Her eyes were wide in disbelief.

"We touched down last night, oh, Addy, Jim... He's dead." Nyota cried as she held Addy. Addy felt her heart drop.

"What do you mean, dead?" She choked out.

"Well, he was... in the warp core chamber, to fix one of the injectors, and he was, irradiated." She cried. "Bones is trying to bring him back with Khans blood, but he said, if I see you, to let you know he is okay and that he loves you." She sighed, her chin resting on Addys shoulder. Addy began to cry, feeling sad for Jim, and feeling relief for Bones being safe on planet again.

"Can I see him?" She stepped back from Nyota. She nodded and led the way to where Bones and Jim were.

She saw Bones scanning Jim, with slow and low vitals on the screen. He was receiving a transfusion at the moment. Bones was not in any protective gear, so she assumed Jim had already been scrubbed. She tapped on the glass, catching the doctors attention. As soon as he met eyes with Addy, he smiled, leaving Jim, and going to her. Throwing open the door, he gave her a deep hug. He breathed her in, nuzzling her.

"I missed you too." She giggled at his sudden burst of affection.

"I just need to hold you for a moment." He muttered low enough only she could hear.

"I'm here sweetpea, I'm here." She pulled her chest back, cupping his face gingerly. He led her into Jims room, and explain everything that had happened on the ship since she was evacuated. It was definitely a story. Jim getting into a fight with Khan, Khan killing Admiral Marcus, and their ship nearly crashing alongside the Vengeance. Addy curled up in the chair, pulling her feet up when she heard a soft clatter on the floor beneath her.

Leonard looked down, picking up the little wrapped stick. His brow furrowed as Addy, bit her lip.

"Pregnancy test, Addy?" He looked at her, arching his brow. "Were you doing to tell me?"

"I just thought about it, Leonard." She protested. "I haven't been feeling good since I recovered from the drugs, and it doesn't seem normal. it's just precautionary, Len. I'm likely not even pregnant." She sighed, rubbing her forehead. Leonard looked back at Jims monitor before handing the test back to her.

"Will you just, wait for me tonight? Before you take it? I want to find out together." He had a slight pleading look in his eye, as she took the test back, nodding.

"I promise. I'll wait until tonight." She sighed, wanting to know now. She didn't want to wait. The sooner she knew, then the sooner she could find out what was really plaguing her if the test was negative. It took everything not to sneak away to the bathroom to find out on her own, but, she promised, and didn't want to break that. "Are you going to be home for dinner at least?" She rubbed his thigh as he checked Jims transfusion.

"Yeah, I'll be there. Just a few more hours here I think. Jim should be fine, once his vitals come back." He analyzed.

"Want me to make you anything in particular?"

"No, anything you want is fine. Who knows, depending, I might not even eat." He grinned, looking down at her abdomen. She gave a small smile.

"Well, then I'm going to go get dinner started. I'm thinking roasted chicken or something." She smiled again, getting up. Leonard gave her another hug, this time swaying her gently, enjoying her body against his. When she left, his mind began to race. They had never talked about a kid before. They hadn't even talked about taking their relationship further, even though they'd only been seeing one another for about a year. It was a big step to start considering either one. He knew they would be good parents to a child, but, it just wasn't the right time. Especially not in their relationship. They were just getting through the rough patch of this last mission, and it was going to take a while to recover from the emotional trauma that it came with.

As Jim slept, he looked out the window, imagining what their child would look like, how would it act. Would it be more like him, or like Addy? Would she look good pregnant? Would she gain weight? Not that gaining weight was bad. His mom used to be trim and svelte, but getting married, having children and being a mother caused her to gain quite a bit, but she was pleasantly plump, always cooking delicious things. Leonard loved his mothers cooking, obvious as he was a chubby young child. Maybe their children would be chubby as well? He smirked at the thought of her chasing after a chubby child, a boy that looked like him, but had her spirit.

His heart skipped a beat, as he got the image of him holding their infant. He decided to leave early, passing off the care to another doctor. He couldn't wait until that night to find out if his life would change or not. On the way to her place, he stopped and grabbed flowers, knowing she would like them, no matter what happened tonight.

Her apartment smelled delicious, like herbs and garlic. She had been sitting on the patio, wrapped up in a sweater, enjoying the fresh air. She had hardly heard him come in, and was startled when he presented the flowers.

"Jeez, Len, I didn't even see you there." She jumped. She had been lost in the same thoughts that Leonard had been.

"No, you saw the flowers here." He smirked.

"Oh, don't be a jerk." She chuckled. "These are lovely." She smiled, taking the bouquet.

"Hey, a guy can't be a jerk AND give you flowers." He squatted down next to her, kissing her gently. He took her hand, and stood her up with him. "Why don't you go take that test?" He urged.

"Is that why you came back early? To learn your fate?" She feigned hurt, as her lips pouted.

"And to spend time with you, yes." He replied honestly.

He walked her to the bathroom, not even wanting to give her the privacy to take the test. "Leonard, do you mind?" She asked, sitting down.

"I'm a doctor, I've seen worse." She leaned against the counter.

"Jeez, this is awkward." She rolled. When she was done, she set it on the counter, cleaned up, and waited with him. They held each others hands tightly, waiting for the test to finish. The first line had already turned, and they waited to see if the second one would turn as well. Their eyes were closed tightly in anticipation.

"Negative." Leonard whispered. They both let out a heavy sigh of both sadness and relief.

"Well, that's good then." She gave a nervous smile. "I'm worried now about why I've been so sick."

"It's alright doll, I'll take you to the doctor in the morning. Well, another doctor." He corrected himself.

"You won't take care of me?" She poked him playfully.

"I'll always take care of you, I just think it would be better to see someone else." He rested his hands on her hips. "Besides, I'd rather be there for support, not for running tests." He kissed her forehead.

All she could stomach eating that night was some plain mashed potatoes. She couldn't even handle trying the gravy she worked on. Leonard ate his meal and quickly got seconds, so it must have been good. After the dishes were put away, and the flowers were set up on the table, they sat down on the couch, both reading, enjoying a nice quiet night after all the activity they'd been through. Their heads were on either end of the couch, their legs entangled in the others. She had already gotten through a chapter of her book when Leonard closed his book with a thud.

"Are you okay with not being pregnant?" He had to ask. He wanted to make sure they were on the same page. She looked up from her book with a thoughtful look.

"Yeah, I think I'm alright with it." She smiled sadly. "I mean, I always thought that one day I'd have a family, but, I don't know, right now doesn't seem like the right time." She rested her head against the cushion.

"Well, yeah, I mean, it's never the right time to have kids, even if it seems like it is." He grabbed her foot, gently massaging it. "I just, I don't know, I was thinking about it earlier, and, it was a good feeling." He looked down, remembering his thoughts. "Of seeing you with a big ole pregnant belly, and your smile, as we walk on the boardwalk. Or, holding you, feeling the baby kick. Of the argument over what to name the baby." He let out a light chuckle. "I bet you'd be the most gorgeous mother in the world." He looked back into her eyes. They were watering.

"I thought that too. I just, you know, we have only been together for a year." She sighed. "We haven't even considered taking this relationship to the next level, and I mean, that would be a huge step." She was trying to temper her tone. She didn't want Leonard to think that she was hunting for a ring right now. Not that she would have minded, she cared deeply for him, and would have been happy, but they needed to be sure, and ready. She needed to be sure and ready.

"Perhaps _you_ haven't thought about that, but I have." Leonard rubbed her other foot. "I'm not saying I've got a ring, don't worry." He laughed. "But, I have thought of it, and I wouldn't be opposed when the time is right."

She couldn't believe they were beginning to have the future talks. Perhaps when one faces their mortality, they begin to want to rush the things that humanity believes makes a life fulfilled, like marriage, and children. A good proper family. As a young woman, her grandparents raised her to prepare for womanhood. To get married, bear children, turn a house into a home, and be the loving wife. It was an antiquated way of life, but it had its uses. She learned how to cook out of it, which helped save her money. That was another thing her grandparents taught her about. Finances. Something that many cadets she came by were terrible at. But they felt that a woman should be able to handle allocating money to the proper bills and funds.

"Come on down here hon, don't be so bashful." Leonard opened his arms to receive her. She laid her head down on his chest, getting comfortable. "Since we are on the topic, what type of wedding would you want?" He asked, running his fingers gently through her hair. It was so comforting on her tense muscles.

"Hmmm, small to medium." She sighed. "Something more personal, maybe under a weeping willow." She sighed, closing her eyes, imagining it, wrapping her arms around him tighter. "The smell of magnolias, and new foliage on the air." Leonard leaned his head back forming his own picture.

"Sunny, but not too hot, lots of greenery around. Not extremely fancy, but nice decorations. White, silver, maybe blue?" He began to massage her shoulders.

"Oh, I bet you'd look so wonderful in a tux. Standing at the alter with your hair brushed all proper, a nice boutonniere." She thought aloud.

"All you need to do, is come to the alter in that white lingerie. You know, that outfit you wore before we took off for this last mission?" He grinned obscenely.

"Len! You're ruining the image!" She giggled, shaking her head.

"Yeah, I know. If you wore that, we would have to skip everything and get straight to the honeymoon." He moaned at the thought, she felt him twitch underneath of her.

"I swear, Len, you have the voracity of a teenager." She giggled again, trying to get off of him. He pulled her back down, enjoying the heat of her body against his own.

"That may be, but its only because of what you do to me." He rubbed her arms. "But if we have a daughter, we should name her Magnolia."

"Well, you know, either her first or middle name has to have SOME variant of Adelaide in it." She looked up to him again, catching his eye.

"And why is that?"

"It's a family name. Adelaide has been handed down to the women in my family for... jeez, 400 years? Adelaide, Addy, Adele, Adelia, you name it, we've been named it."

"Really? I mean, don't men normally pass down their names?"

"Yeah, but, the women in my family long ago decided to pass their names down through the women. Probably some sort of defiance to the men of that time." She rubbed her cheek against his chest.

"We could name a daughter Adelaide. I'm alright with that, It's a beautiful name." He sighed happily.

"And we can name our son Spock."

"Oh, NOW who's ruining the moment?" He looked down sharply, poking her sides while she laughed. "Lets go go bed sweetie, I'm tired, and I want to lay with you more comfortably." He sighed, holding her face.

They stripped down, and curled up facing one another, with the soft words of the future on their lips.

* * *

Jim was still comatose, it had been a week since they had returned to the surface. Addy was helping Bones with his care that day.

"You know, we really should give that tribble a heroes burial." She joked as she changed Jims sheets. He was elevated on a lift while she worked.

"Yeah, whys that?" Leonard was looking over his chart, updating his condition.

"Well, if it weren't for that tribble coming back, you wouldn't have thought to freeze Jim, and use Khans blood to revive him." She smiled, lowering the lift, to set Jim back down and tuck him in.

"Yeah, no kidding."

"But, luckily for all of us, you were smart enough to take that nasty little critter, and bring it back to life." She nudged his hip with hers, standing next to him.

"So, what do you want to name it?" He glanced over.

"What? Oh no, that thing can stay at your place." She put her foot down, crossing her arms over her chest.

Leonard turned and looked gave her a sad look.

"NO!" She cried, laughing. "What did you do with it, seriously?" She cried.

"It went out the trash shoot, probably landed on the moon." He looked over his shoulder with a smile. "You don't really think I'd keep a tribble on board, do you?" He laughed, turning back to his work. "I sure as HELL wouldn't have given it to you, I mean come on, I don't hate you." He chuckled.

"Well, I guess it got a quick death at least." She smiled. The last thing they needed was to have a tribble infestation. She had seen one before, and it was horrific. She looked over his shoulder at the monitor, resting her cheek on his bicep. "Looks like his brainwaves are coming back." She pointed at the line that represented his brain.

"Yeah, with any luck, he should be coming around in the next few days. That transfusion has really taken a toll on his body. I think I liked him better when he was drugged." Leonard furrowed his brow. Addy smiled, but her smile turned to a frown, as she quickly turned to the bathroom. He could hear her retching, before emptying her breakfast into the toilet, her heavy breathing and groaning resonating through the room. He felt terrible for her.

"You doing alright there darlin?" He stood in the doorway as she pulled herself up, flushing the toilet, moving to the sink to rinse her mouth and face. She shook her head, shivering. "Well, the doc couldn't come up with anything, so, I don't know." He sighed. She began to sniffle, frustrated.

"I just want to know whats wrong with me. I'm actually getting scared Len." She sighed, wiping her face off on a towel. Leonard pulled her in, rubbing her back.

"I'll take a look, alright? I'll see if I can't come up with something while I'm here." He rubbed her back, feeling just as frustrated as she had. "In fact, come in here, sit down." He lead her back to the room, sitting her down on the chair. He pulled out an auto syringe, and took her arm, taking a blood draw. "You know, the last doc didn't do this, I noticed. Maybe we can find something here that would explain it."

She rubbed her arm where he had taken her blood, and sighed, sitting back in the chair, watching Jim. "Go home Adelaide. I know you are feeling sick, but you aren't too effective if you are so sick." He placed his hands on his hips. "I'll analyze this, and I'll see you when I get home."

"Home? Am I going to your place or mine?" She smirked.

"Well, either one. I just figured I'm over at your place so often it's like home." He shrugged.

"Well, it could be, if you want." She took his hands.

"We'll talk when I get home." He kissed her neck, sending a chill through her spine, as she left.

She waited for him to get there, questions burning in her mind, wanting to know if Leonard had made any progress on her condition. He called on his break, just to hear her voice.

_"Hey Addy, how are you feelin?"_

"I'm doing alright. A bit tired. I've drank so much sprite, and water."

_"You still don't have much of an appetite?" _

"No, not yet. I mean, I managed some crackers, but, today is a bad day."

"_Well, I did run some preliminary tests on your blood. I'm going to run a few more tests though."_

"Whats wrong? Have you found anything yet?"

_"I'd rather talk to you face to face about that, Addy. But I will tell you everything when I get home."_

They ended the conversation, leaving Addy even more anxious than she was before. She slipped into her stretch pants and a shirt that used to be tight on her. The shirt was much more loose now, as she had steadily lost weight from her lack of appetite, and lack of ability to keep any food down.

She began reading over updated policies and procedures that the fleet was entertaining to pass the time. It was boring, but she needed to know what they planned on implementing before the next mission... Whenever that would be. As of right now, their captain stood on the brink of death. Of course, that is if she stayed on the Enterprise. She remembered what Admiral Pike had said, and wondered if perhaps that still held true even after his death, and after the death of the fleet admiral. Would they send her back to the new Farragut?

Her mind drifted between her work and her personal thoughts, waiting for Leonard.

By the time he got in, it was dark. He looked exasperated as he hung his jacket up, and changed into the spare clothes he had left at her place. She watched him and waited silently for him to acknowledge her. He did so with a hug. "Let's sit down." He led her to the loveseat.

"Adelaide, I ran some tests on your blood." He started. "There was nothing really out of the ordinary, except one thing."

"What is it? Whats wrong Leonard?" She bit her lip, wringing her hands together. It was agonizing to wait for him to explain what the problem was.

"You are pregnant." He breathed. She sat there, looking back and forth, her mouth opening and closing looking for words. "The Hupyrian beetle snuff you were hit with on Kronos masked the hormones that the pregnancy test you took should have detected, which is why it read negative." She sat back, dazed.

"Wh-what are we going to do?" She choked, a plethora of emotions running through her mind. She was happy that it wasn't something serious, and was indeed thrilled to finally have an explanation as to why she had been feeling so terrible, but she was terrified as to what that meant for their future.

"Well, I guess for starters, we should just be happy." He grabbed her hand. "I'm not going to walk away from you Addy, don't worry." He lowered his voice to reassure her.

"But, Len, we, it was all just talk." She thought about their long conversation a few nights ago. It was all just hypothetical discussion.

"Well, now, it's not." He got up, grabbing some water. "You know what that means though, right?" He called from the kitchen.

"It means many things, but which are you referring to?"

"No more coffee." He smiled behind his cup, taking a drink. She groaned loudly, already loathing the thought. No coffee for 8 months, give or take, her favorite beverage.

He stood in front of her again. "About our earlier conversation, if you would like, we can move in together. It would make sense, as we will be needing two bedrooms soon." He moved his hand to her abdomen, already enjoying the thought of being a father. Was he nervous and scared? Of course. But it was nowhere near as intense as his happiness.

She gave a weak smile, still processing everything. "You don't seem too thrilled." He pulled back.

"I, I'm happy Len, I just-" She took a deep breath. "I just didn't think this was going to happen so soon." She sat back down on the couch and cried. "I'm scared Len." She looked up at him, her elbows resting on her knees.

"Of what?" He sat on the coffee table in front of her.

"That you'll leave. I don't want to have to raise this kid on my own. I'm scared that by the end of this, you'll be tired of me, that you'll decide you don't want to be a father." Deep inside, she was still insecure in relationships. Though Leonard treated her great, and she loved him, she knew at any time, he could leave her just as Jim had. Could he handle her when her hormones began going crazy? Or when she wasn't interested in sex as much? Would he seek to fulfill his desires elsewhere like Jim had?

Leonard picked up on where her feelings were coming from. Knowing that, if there was any reason for her to be afraid of being left, it was because of Jim. He took a deep breath, and looked at her shaking hands. "Adelaide Myers, I'm here. I plan on staying here, because I love you. I have no plans or desires to leave you. I know things will be hard, but we will have to work together to get through it. Alright?" He rubbed her shoulders before lifting her chin to look into her wet eyes. She nodded, still crying. "There is no other woman I could imagine having a family with than you. We should be happy about this. I'll do everything I have to in order to put those bad feelings to rest, but remember I'm not Jim. I don't need every woman. I only need you." He kissed her tear stained cheeks.

Leonard gave her some nausea medication specifically for pregnancies that he got from the hospital to make her feel better, much to Addys relief. Now that the nausea was lifted, she realized how completely starving she was. They ordered in, curled up on the couch and watched movies that night. Curled up in his arms, she smiled. It would take time still to get used to this, but she was happy that if this had to happen, that it was the gentle man who held her.


	7. Best of Times & The Worst of Times

**I do not own nor profit from Star Trek or Gene Roddenberrys creations**

**A/N: I appreciate all who have been reading, and following this story, the reviews have been helpful and motivational. This is a bit of a longer chapter, and I don't think I am quite happy with it, but, oh well, it'll have to go up anyways, as I have procrastinated on it far too long. I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

Leonard and Addy spent any free time they had together looking for apartments, trying baby names, and going to doctors appointments. Of course Leonard couldn't make it to all of them, but the good man tried. He wondered mostly how Jim was going to take the news. He had only been awake for a few days, and was still hospitalized. Jim had a hard time with the news of them being together, but, now the news of them having the family that Jim had wanted first might be too much. He tried hard to avoid the topic of their relationship, even though he knew Jim was just curious as to how they were faring after the incident on the Enterprise.

Addy was sitting in the employee lounge when Leonard went in for his lunch. He leaned in for a kiss while she read a magazine.

"Hey sweet thing, how are you feeling?" He asked, taking his lunch out of the fridge.

"I'm alright, just reading over some stuff." She tossed the magazine on the table, taking a drink of her ginger and cucumber water. It helped to keep her stomach in line. "You know, names, bassinets, stuff like that." She smiled, letting her bun down, shaking her hair out.

"Yeah? What type of bassinets? Nice old school wooden ones? Flowery and lacy ones?" He arched an eyebrow.

"I did see one that I liked, but, honestly, a bassinet is so small. I mean, it would be great for the first year maybe, but, the baby would need to go into a bigger crib. So, why waste money on two beds?" She opened the magazine to the page she had seen the bassinet on.

"Why not? We can afford it darlin. I think a bassinet would be nice, maybe put it in our room for the first few months? Let the baby sleep in our room, and then move it to its own room? Besides, just because we buy it now, doesn't mean we won't use it again." He smirked, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Leonard!" She cried. "We have barely found out about one, and you are already hinting at another!" She said incredulously.

"Now now, I wasn't hinting at anything." He shook his head.

"Mmhm." She raised an eyebrow, eyeing him, and put her head back down.

"Not that it wouldn't be something to think about though." He slipped in, causing her head to snap up and give him a playful glare.

* * *

Jim had received a plethora of visitors since he had woken up. Everybody had wanted to spend time with him, and make sure that he was alright. They were reassured many times that he was in the competent hands of Dr. McCoy, one of the best doctors in the fleet. But of course, that didn't stop them from worrying.

Addy had only been his nurse a couple of times since he woke up, preferably when Leonard wasn't there. They felt they didn't want to seem to be rubbing their relationship in his face. Today was one of the days they were both there caring for him.

"How are you today, Jim?" She stepped into the room, seeing Jim sitting up, eating his breakfast.

"I'm alright." He swallowed some toast.

"Any pain, or discomfort?" She smiled, ready to chart on her PADD.

"No, not today. Just a bit tired, a little soreness in my arm from the IV, but, otherwise, nothing too bad." He gave a sweet smile, as only Jim T. Kirk could.

"Well good to hear that. The IV should be coming out later today, I'll talk to Leonard about it. After being irradiated, your body has been through a lot, and it will take a while for it to recover. All of your cells have been repaired, essentially, so it will be a while." She smiled. "Any nausea or vomiting?" She asked, writing down something in her PADD.

"Well, a little nausea, but not as much as you I've heard." He winked, causing her to falter.

"What do you mean?"

"One of the other nurses said you've been pretty sick for a while." He eyed her.

"Yeah, just an after effect of that... beetle powder." She laughed off.

"Funny. I didn't feel sick at all afterwards." He mused.

"Yes, you are also a guy, and you didn't get NEARLY the same dose that I got." She smiled over her PADD.

"What does being a guy have to do with it?" He raised his eyebrow.

"Well, some things affect women differently, or more intense than men." She gazed over to the monitor, charting his vitals. "Besides, you are bigger than I am, and able to absorb the drugs better."

"Maybe so, but are you feeling better at least?" He drank some juice.

"Yes, I'm a lot better, thank you." She smiled at him.

"Good, I wouldn't want my dear nurse puking on me." He chuckled.

"Oh Jim, you can be a pain sometime." She rolled her eyes. Leonard had entered the room, and began talking to Addy about the charts.

"I think we can send him home today. No events on the EKG, no abnormal wave patterns, and his vitals have been stable for a few days." He flipped through the monitor in the room.

"I think that sounds good. What time were you thinking?" She looked up at him.

"Afternoon should be good." Leonard nodded. "I'll put in the orders to remove his IV, and discontinue the monitoring equipment. No discharge medications, so, no need to put those in..." He was speaking more to himself at this point, as he entered in the orders.

"I've got a mad patient down the hall. Should be interesting." He rolled his eyes. Addy shook her head.

"Yeah, I had her a few days ago. She ended up throwing her tray at me." She laughed, remembering how angry the young woman had become. It was still a mystery as to why she was so upset, so for safety, she had to restrain her. Sometimes you could hear her screaming halfway down the hall.

"Make sure you be careful." Leonard glanced over at her, giving her a knowing look. She returned it, letting him know she was going to be okay.

"Am I missing something here?" Jim asked, stepping out of bed.

"No, not at all. Just talking about another patient." Leonard shook his head.

"Here, Jim, let me take that IV out before you get up. You don't need it." She reached for some supplies. She sat bent over next to him, removing it as he winced. "Yeah, I'm sorry, it'll be sore for a few days I'm guessing. You've had an IV for two weeks." She placed a bandage on it, throwing away the used tubing.

"Jeez, no kidding." He moved his fist in a circular motion.

"Hey, be happy you didn't get nurse ratched." She quipped

"Who?" Jim looked confused as Leonard laughed.

"The new nurse here. She has a bad habit of blowing out her patients veins." Leonard laughed.

"But she thinks she is... the shit." Addy gave him a fresh pair of socks. "Seriously, she thinks she knows all, is all, and treats her patients like garbage."

Jim looked in understanding. "I've met her. Short brown hair? Narrow face? Sourpuss look?" He recalled.

"Yep, that'll be the one." Leonard nodded.

"Yeah, she was here yesterday. A real treasure that one." Jim rolled his eyes. "She was meaner than hell. She is definitely on a power trip, thinking she is so much better." Jim shook his head.

"Jim, if you request her for the Enterprise, I'll slap you." Leonard looked up, giving a warning look.

"I wouldn't even assign her to Khans ship... Well..." Jim began to backtrack.

They all shared a laugh at that idea.

"What are they going to do with him anyways?" She looked between the two.

"I heard he was put back in his cryotube." Leonard tucked a pen behind his ear.

"I'll find out at headquarters." Jim offered.

"Sounds good, I'd like to know what happens." She sighed. Leonard left to see his other patients as Addy got Jim ready for discharge.

As soon as they were alone Jim turned to his nurse. "So, are you guys doing alright?" He asked, as she typed.

"Yeah, we are doing just fine." She replied simply.

"Well, after, um, yeah. I was just wondering." He rubbed his thighs, massaging them.

"Well, that was just an unfortunate side effect of the drugs. Leonard realizes that, and so I don't think he holds any ill feelings. I don't either, I just hope you don't." She glanced at him momentarily.

"Why would I?" He smiled sweetly.

"After everything, that's all." She looked down.

"Addy, I'm happy to have you in my life, even if it is just as a friend, or as a coworker on good terms. It's better than not having you at all." He walked over, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. It's nice to have you around too... Even when you are being a lecherous cretin." She laughed.

"You think I'm a cretin?" He feigned hurt.

"Oh please. You are too smart for your own good, just... Sometimes, you make bad choices." She sighed.

"Like leaving you?" He sighed, not able to live that moment down.

"No, like that blonde you took home back in december. She was a nutcase." She laughed. Jim would have been more than happy to not remember her either. He didn't even remember her name, but she had stalked him nearly every day until they left for their mission.

"Yeah, she was a bad choice." Jim shook his head as he continued to the bathroom finally.

She called Spock to come and pick him up, as he would need transport home, and an escort.

"I don't know what all the fuss is about." Jim sighed, just wanting to leave, no doubt wanting to find a nice woman to keep him busy that night.

"Well, you did die Jim. It's probably for your own good to be taken home by someone." She raised her brow.

He laid back in bed, watching TV until Spock arrived, which was nearly 3 pm.

"So, Jim, try not to do anything TOO strenuous... or should I say anybody too strenuous." She cocked a brow. "Try to relax, alright?" She rubbed his shoulder gently. He nodded as Nyota pushed him out in a wheelchair. Spock walked behind carrying his things. When he was gone, she went through the room, stripping the bed, and getting it ready for the bed makers.

* * *

Leonard woke up early that Saturday, making her breakfast. She had been busy that week, having pulled a couple of doubles, as some nurses had gone on vacation to spend time with their families after the attack. He had been trying to talk her out of it, but she was adamant to take care of the patients.

He made bacon, eggs and toast for them, with mint tea for her, and milk for himself, plating it up and taking it into the bedroom on a tray.

"Wake up sleepy." He called softly, trying to lull her awake. She rolled over, nuzzling into his pillow until the smell of breakfast made her head pop up.

"Oh, my, Len that smells delicious." She sat up sleepily.

"Well, I hope so. I had to slaughter the pig to get the meat... I smoked and cured this bacon just for you, from an old family recipe. I RAISED the chickens, that gave me the eggs to make you this breakfast." He began to joke with her. She laughed, laying back down into the pillow.

"I take it you grew, picked and dried the mint too to make my tea?" She peeked at him from under her forearm.

He gave her a confused look. "No, I bought it at the store last week. Jeez Addy, whats wrong with you?" He laughed, setting the tray down over her. She sat back up, looking at her meal. Len took a spot beside her, as she tucked in.

"So, I was thinking... if you would like to come back home with me. I'd like my family to meet you." He looked out the window.

"Back in Georgia?" She raised her brow.

"Yeah, I mean, we have been together long enough now, and we _are_ about to have a child, so, I guess it would only be right that you met my parents." He rubbed her back. She nodded, fancying the idea of meeting his family. "I was thinking next week, we take Friday through Monday off. We can leave Thursday night, and come back on Monday morning?"

"That would be nice, I would like that. I'm just sorry you can't meet my parents." She smiled sadly. "Or my grandparents for that matter." She added.

"That's alright doll." He went back to eating his breakfast. She was excited to travel with Leonard, to go meet his family. "Let's go out tonight. We haven't had much of a date night since we've been back."

"Yeah? Where would you like to go?" She leaned back into her pillows, taking a sip of her tea.

"How about a steakhouse or something?"

"Mm, steak sounds so good. A nice, rare steak." She drooled. Leonard laughed, knowing she must have been wanting iron in her system. "We can do that. I look forward to it." She smiled.

They put in their time requests and bought their tickets before going to the mall. Being able to get out and walk leisurely would hopefully help improve her mood. It was busy, as any Saturday was, with families and groups of friends roamed in packs. Addy made her way to one of the large department stores for one of the things they had been looking at most.

"Ohh, Len, look at this." She looked at a bassinet, fluffing the lace that lined the outside.

"Yeah, it's pretty nice." Leonard huffed, looking around. "I just don't think we should be looking at these here, I mean, we haven't even told anybody yet." He spoke low just between them as she nodded in agreement.

"I know, it's just, so exciting. We see these cribs, and bassinets and all the baby clothes, and I just want to buy it all up." She smiled excitedly. "But, I understand. I mean, we are only in the 3rd month. We have plenty of time to look, and buy." She sighed.

He rubbed her back reassuringly, leading them away from that area. Instead, they shopped around for their own clothes, and for things for their apartment. As it drew later in the day, she grew tired of working her way through busy crowds with their purchases, just to look around for more. Leonard was nice enough to pick up on this, suggesting they go home and clean up before they went to dinner.

Addy enjoyed her bath, as she soaked in an old claw-foot bathtub. Leonard sat on the other side, gently scrubbing her legs, while her fingers massage his feet. "How come we never did this before?" He leaned back, asking as his body relaxed.

"Because you never asked?" She laughed softly. "Or perhaps we just didn't think about it, more interested in sex and going out?" She looked over to him.

"Well, I wouldn't mind doing this a bit more often." He sighed, resting his head back, letting the warm water take him. By the time they were ready to get out and go eat, he was reluctant to leave the warm embrace of his bath. He put on his usual jeans and a nice button up, while she wore jeans, and a light sweater. "Ready darlin?" He asked, offering his elbow. She took it graciously as they were on their way.

Before the host could get a table for them, they were beckoned over to a table by Nyota. "Bones, Addy over here. Come on, Spock, make room." She urged her boyfriend, who seemed a bit disappointed that she was interrupting their own date. Not wanting to seem rude, they accepted Nyotas offer, sitting down with them.

"How are you guys?" Nyota asked, taking a drink of her mojito classic.

"We've been good, how about you guys?" Addy inquired.

"Oh, we've been good. We got a lot of things out of the way on Kronos." She smirked, grabbing Spocks hand. Spock was quietly drinking water, still irritated.

Their server came over to take their order. "Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't aware that you would be having company. Can I get you two started with drinks?" The young man took out a little padd to write on.

"We can split a bottle of wine if you'd like. They have this amazing red wine here." Nyota began to order, resting her hand on Addys.

"Oh no, Addy can't be having any drinks right now." Leonard put his hand out, canceling the wine. "How about some sprite?" He offered. Addy nodded, smiling to the server.

"Yes, sprite and water, no ice in either." She placed.

"I'll take a whiskey and a water as well." Leonard asked. Spock was eyeing Addy as she smiled, placing her hands in her lap. The server came back with their drinks, place settings, and a couple more menus.

"So, whats with the no wine. That's like, your favorite thing at dinner. Syrah, right?" Nyota chuckled, taking another sip of her drink.

"I would imagine, that it has to do with your current medical condition." Spock looked between Leonard and Addy.

"Medical condition... is everything okay?" Nyota got a worried look, as she grabbed Addys hand again. Leonard knew that Spock had already picked up on what was going on, as he put an arm around Addys shoulders.

"We haven't told anybody yet. Not even our families, but," Leonard took a deep breath, looking at Addy for the okay. She nodded slightly. "Well, we are expecting." He looked up.

Nyota looked at them dumbfounded. "Expecting a..." She waited.

"A baby, Nyota. Addy is with child." Spock answered her, then winced as his sensitive ears were assailed by Nyotas shrieks of delight.

"Oh, congratulations you two!" She got up, shuffling around the table to hug them both.

"How far along are you?" She sat back down, inquiring about their news.

"Well, about, 11 weeks, so the doctor said." Leonard answered as Addy drank some water.

"Are you hoping for a boy or girl?"

"We both decided that we would prefer a boy, but we would be happy either way." Addy replied, swallowing.

Addy and Nyota kept talking animatedly about the baby, while Spock and Leonard talked about other things.

"We just, don't want to make it public knowledge yet, so, if you guys can keep it a bit hush, we would appreciate that." Addy looked at the other couple.

"We completely understand. We can keep it quiet." Nyota agreed.

They ended their meal with a dessert to go, as both couples went their own ways.

"Do you think we should have told them so soon?" Addy asked, as she and Leonard walked arm-in-arm back to their apartment.

"Well, Spock already knew. He had the look of a man who already knew, not that much gets past him." Leonard looked down, arching his brow.

"Yeah, but, I mean, I don't know." She shrugged. "I guess it's just kind of odd to be spreading the news."

"Yeah, well, especially since I haven't made an honest woman of you yet." Leonard pulled her in tighter causing her to smile. "I'm supposed to be the good southern man." He said proudly.

"And you are a good southern man, Leonard." Addy stopped him, reaching up to kiss him. "You are my good southern man, and a ring won't change that." She smiled into his lips.

"Still doesn't mean I don't want to make an honest woman out of you." He smirked, making her giggle.

"Well, we can talk about that later." She smiled.

"Well, not too much later, or else it will be a lot harder to find you a dress." He rubbed her growing abdomen. She didn't look pregnant by any means to any who didn't know her, and those who did would have thought she just put on a few pounds, but Leonard knew. She looked down to where his hand rested and sighed in happiness.

When they got home, dessert was left forgotten about on the counter, as Addy bathed Leonard in affection, knowing their sex life had been hindered with work and her side effects. Leonard wasn't opposed to her riding him with vigor, wanting him deeper. His hands held her sides gingerly as he released himself into her when his body couldn't take any more. He held her close, savoring the scent of their lovemaking.

* * *

Leonard was at work when Jim and Spock arrived to meet him. Jim had been working with Spock on preparing for their upcoming five year mission they had been cleared for, and had wanted to go see the doctor to fill him in on what was going on.

"Bones, hey, lets get lunch." Jim leaned against the counter as Leonard was finishing up on a chart.

"Yeah, where at?"

"Well, I was thinking we can either go down to the cafeteria, I don't want to take you too far from your patients." Jim cocked a brow as Leonard looked up at the clock.

"Yeah, that sounds good." He nodded as he put the chart away. The three men walked down to get their food, finding a booth by the window.

"So, how is Addy feeling?" Spock looked up, digging into some kreila, a sort of vulcan flatbread.

"She is doing well." Leonard breathed uncomfortably.

"Is her illness doing any better?"

"Yeah, she isn't so sick anymore." He replied.

Jim looked between them. "Addy is still sick?" He scoffed. "That was some drug then, if she is still sick from it."

Spock raised a brow and looked at Leonard. "Doctor, with this five year mission coming up, it would be wise to let the Captain know of the recent developments. Though it may not be ideal at this time, it is still prudent, in case we may need another nurse." He reasoned.

Leonard nodded, knowing what Spock wanted him to do. He took a deep breath and looked to Jim.

"Adelaide isn't sick from the beetle drugs, Jim. She's pregnant." He had to get it out before he lost his nerve. Jim just stared at him.

There was an uneasy silence as he digested the information and tried to form a response. His mind raced, but he didn't know just what emotion wanted to be conveyed, or which of the many statements that came to mind should have been said first.

"Congrats Bones." He said dryly, trying not to seem too put out.

"Thank you." He nodded unsure.

"Yeah, no problem. So, when is she do?" Jim tried to seem genuinely interested. Though he was interested in Addy, he wasn't interested in hearing she was carrying Bones' baby. He would have been happier to hear if she was carrying his own child like they had talked about so long ago. For the sake of their friendship however, it was impossible to keep those thoughts close.

"In about six months or so." He tried to be casual about the conversation.

"Well, I guess, the question is, are you two ready to have a kid on the Enterprise, or is she going to stay home and care for it? Because remember, this is going to be a five year mission." He held his fingers to his lips, waiting for his answer.

"I guess we'll have to figure that out soon." Bones said, taking a bite of peach cobbler. "I didn't know we got the 5 year mission. But, since we did, I guess we'll decide what we are going to do."

"Your'e my CMO, and the best damn doctor we've got. I don't want to go into this without you." Jim nodded, and began talking to them about the basics of the mission.

They spent an hour talking about what was going to happen, what to expect, how long it should take to prepare, and of course, when the Enterprise would be repaired.

"Well, I've got to get back to work you two." Leonard looked down at his watch, noticing he had been gone a little longer than he intended. "We can talk about this tonight over drinks or something." He got up.

"Bones, um. Congrats again." Jim offered, as Leonard nodded and left.

"Captain, are you alright?" Spock asked when Bones was out of earshot.

"Yeah. I think I'm alright." He sighed. He had told himself he would leave her alone in the romantic way, but, it still didn't quell the pain that still managed to surface in the face of news like this.

* * *

Leonard went home to change before he went out to get a drink with the guys. Addy had been working in the emergency department that day, and wasn't due home for a few more hours. He made dinner, and left a note that he was going out in case she wondered where he was when she got home. He didn't plan on being out late, but anything could happen when Jim was around. He placed her plate in the fridge, changed and left.

Addy was not having a pleasant shift by any means. A large part of it were young cadets who had been doing stupid things to prove themselves to their friends. Two patients had been reacting violently to drugs in their system, being verbally abusive. If it had stayed at just verbal abuse, she would have been fine with it. It was when one young man broke free of his improperly placed restraints, that things were out of hand.

The man scrambled out of bed in a delirious state, as he he grabbed for her. Addy let out a sharp yell, and grabbed his hands, trying to hold him at a distance. As soon as she called for a behavioral code, she could hear the shoes hitting the ground running towards the room. The first responders to the code were in the doorway, seeing this power struggle when the patient kicked Addy in the stomach, causing her to double over breathless. This was his moment to put her in a headlock,, squeezing her neck tightly in the elbow joint.

The commotion around her filled her ears. The patient was screaming at the staff, the doctors and nurses were all yelling at the patient, the code alarm was warbling, and the IV alarm was ringing, declaring that the IV had been ripped out. Addy struggled to get some room between his arm and her throat, hoping to get a decent breath in, but none came. Her heart was beating faster, and her lungs burned begging for a fresh breath. She could feel the hands of the staff trying to pull her from his grasp, but he was not wanting to comply.

"Damn it! Get the Hypo!" She heard a familiar voice call before she began to fade. His gripped loosened, as she fell backwards into the people who had been trying to get her from his grasp. She was picked up off of the floor, as she looked up and saw the kind face of Dr. Charles moving the patient back into bed, a hypo still in his neck.

Addy was shivering as the adrenaline pumped through her system, her hand on her stomach. She had been moved to a private room on the other side of the ER so that Dr. Charles could examine her. He scanned her with his tricorder. "It's good to see you here, doc." She smiled weakly.

"Yeah, ever since the triage tent, I thought that I could benefit from some time in the ER. So, I got transferred here, though I'm still learning from the more seasoned ER docs." He smiled. "Well, your vitals are a little off, but I don't see why they wouldn't return to normal once your calm. I'm not seeing any other abnormalities." He read.

"What about my baby?" Addy asked softly, holding her abdomen.

"So far, it seems alright. I can't guarantee that it will stay that way, but for right now, your baby is fine." He gave her a reassuring smile, resting a hand on her arm.

"Thank you, Dr. Charles. I appreciate that." She sighed, still trying to shake her rush.

"Do you have anybody that can take you home?" He asked, writing some notes down.

"No, not right now, but I can get there by myself. I don't live that far from here." She smiled.

"Well, if you think you can get there by yourself, then I'd prefer you go home than stay here. I will need your statement as to what happened, and I will be calling your boyfriend to let him know, that's Dr. McCoy, correct?" He glanced over at her as she nodded. "Just so he is aware of the situation, and so he can monitor you and the baby at home. I don't imagine you want to try and explain what happened right now anyways."

"I would really appreciate that." She sniffled. Dr. Charles let her collect her things and walked her to the door.

"Be careful, alright?" the doctor called as she walked down the street away from the hospital. Addy stumbled into the apartment, tears on her face, as she worried. She drew a bath, wanting to relax with Leonard, but had found the note saying he would be out. Of course, if Dr. Charles called him sooner than later, he would likely be home a lot sooner than Leonard had anticipated, no doubt coming to make sure she was okay with his own eyes.

She settled into the tub, holding her arms across her stomach, needing to feel held. The redness around her neck was fading, and in some spots beginning to bruise, and a bruise was forming on her lower abdomen just to the side, a firm shoe print. She began to cry softly, letting out the adrenaline and emotion that had been built up behind her more solid exterior.

Without her comm, and no watches or clocks, she wasn't sure how long she had been in the bathtub. It was the sharp pain that woke her up, getting Leonards attention. She hadn't realized that he had even gotten home as she crawled out of the now room temperature water. Leonard threw open the bathroom door, seeing her halfway out of the tub.

"Jesus, Adelaide!" He cried, pulling her up and out of the tub. She doubled over in pain, falling to her knees as she teared up. It felt as though she had been stabbed in her uterus multiple times.

"Len, it hurts so bad." She cried, gritting. She looked at the floor towards her knees, watching as blood ran down her thighs, dispersing into the puddle of water she had created in her exit from the tub. Leonard sat next to her, holding her closely, rocking her.

"We need to get you back into the hospital." He whispered, trying to reassure her.

"I don't want to move." She retched from the intensity of the pain, gathering a handful of his shirt into her fist.

Leonard went to their room, bringing back a long night shirt, underwear, a few pads and his tricorder. His first order was to scan her, as she sobbed in pain. He pulled out his comm dialing for a medic, before dressing her as best he could, and carrying her outside. He held her crying form, as she shivered and clenched in his arms. He tried to kiss her sweating forehead, trying to calm her, but she was too lost in the physical plague.

Leonard took over the medic van, as he was the doctor, and they were medics, but he made sure they called ahead, specifically for Dr. Charles who had cleared her for home, and had been aware of the assault earlier that evening. Leonard was met by that doctor as they pulled up into the emergency vehicle bay.

"What happened?" Dr. Charles opened the back of the van with haste and worry.

"She was in the tub, and she started just, bleeding... she was in a great amount of pain, and received 2 hypos of dilaudid. Her BP upon arrival on scene was 180's over 130's, most likely a response to the pain, as it's slowly coming down. Heart rate was 120's, now 90's. She has lost about roughly a quart of blood between the beginning to now." He spoke quickly, ushering her into a room.

"You haven't seen her shed any lining or the fetus?" Dr. Charles took his tricorder scanning her for the second time that evening. Leonard just shook his head.

"It's been blood and pain." He shook his head.

"I'll take her to run some tests. Do you want to stay back here with her?" He offered.

"I'm going to make a couple of calls, actually, I'll come back in when I'm done. She should be back from imaging by then." Leonard said as he stepped out.

His first call was to Nyota, who had been their biggest supporter since finding out, and being Addys best female friend. She could hear the uncertainty in the doctors voice as he explained what was going on. She was horrified as she reassured him that they would be there in a few minutes. Leonard wasn't expecting a party of people, but he knew that Addy would at least want Nyota there.

Leonard was in the waiting room when Spock, Nyota and naturally, Jim raced in. Leonard had been trying hard to maintain his composure, but broke down as Nyota brought him in for a tight hug. It was her crying that set his own in motion.

"I don't know whats going to happen." Leonard choked. "I was her doctor, I was supposed to take care of her. This shouldn't be happening." He was, for the first time that night, realizing how terrified he was of possibly losing this child. This cluster of cells that had not so much as a name yet.

"Dr. Charles is taking care of her right now. Nice though, he has good bedside manners." Leonard tried to reassure himself, pointing out the good things about the doctor.

"Is she sleeping? Can we go in and see her?" Jim piped up, concern written on his face.

"She went for imaging, so I don't know when she'll be back." Leonard replied honestly.

Together, they sat quietly in the waiting room, when the sound of the heavy door opening broke their individual trains of though. A young man in a lab coat came out, the man Leonard recognized as Dr. Charles.

"If you would like to come into a private waiting room?" The doctor held the door, leading them to a more personal room, with two couches and a chair. It was one of the hospitals grieving rooms, and already Leonard didn't like where this conversation was going.

When they sat down, Dr. Charles began. "Well, I have good news, and bad news. Which would you like first?"

* * *

**A/N: Alright, so, the question is, should they keep their baby, or not? I have been going back and forth in my mind about this. The pros and cons, what that would mean, etc. So, thoughts? **


	8. Hard Realities

**I do not own or profit from Star Trek or any of Gene Roddenberrys creations.**

**A/N: Thank you to Hope of the Darkness who has followed this story, and has provided great feedback. She is the one who gave me a great idea about this chapter, and their future. I really appreciate the support and the reviews.**

* * *

Leonard was morose as he stood outside of her room, looking in through the window. She was sleeping peacefully, curled up in the fetal position adrift on some distant memory that put her heart at peace. Jims reflection appeared behind him in the glass.

"How are you doing?" Jim asked softly. He was truly sympathetic, seeing the broken man before him. It was as though all of the pain he had been feeling over the last many years, had come out for Leonard in one night.

"Well, I'm probably better than she is. They gave her more pain medication and a muscle relaxer to make her sleep, so she doesn't even know yet." He flexed his jaw.

"Are you going to tell her?" Jim stared at Adelaide.

"I can't. I couldn't be the one. I can't be her comfort and her harbinger of bad news all at once." He swallowed back his grief.

"It'll be alright Bones. We will be here for you, and Adelaide." He put his hand on his shoulder, as both men stood there, watching her. Leonard couldn't get the sound of Adelaide crying for him, crying for help, out of his head. It made his heart race in fear, and pain. It made him feel weak, and useless. He couldn't help her that night. He could only hold her, and hope the pain soon passed for her.

Nyota went into the room, pulling the chair up to the side of her bed, petting her hand. She had been crying, and was trying now to let her tears out softly as she could without waking Addy. She was shaking her head, occasionally glancing up at Spock, who had joined the other two men outside of the room. If she and Spock had to go through this, she didn't know how she would cope. Spock wasn't the most emotional man on the surface, though she knew a torrent of emotions raged beneath of him. But she would need to know that something like this affected him just as much as it affected her, so she didn't feel like she was alone. Spock probably wouldnt do that, but Leonard had already shed a few tears in the private room that Dr. Charles had talked to them in.

Leonards friends soon went to the cafeteria to grab the four of them coffee. Nyota rested a hand on his shoulder as she passed him, letting him and Addy have privacy. He sat where Nyota had been, and took her hand. "I'm so sorry Addy." He choked, resting his head on her hand. She groaned as her stomach clenched, the pain breaking through the medications. He gently shushed her, stroking through her hair.

"Len." She sighed, still asleep, tucking in a little tighter. She looked so weak and helpless under all of the blankets they had put on her. She was pale from the blood loss that the doctor was luckily able to stop. Blood replacement fluids were running through her IV, slowly giving back her color. Her grip tightened around his hand, and for the moment, he was comforted that he still had Addy.

After a while, the trio returned, Spock handed Leonard a coffee, and sat down with the other two at the end of the bed. "Thank you guys, I appreciate you guys being here. You don't have to stay, I mean, I know it's late, and you guys are probably tired." He rubbed his face, setting his coffee down.

"It's alright, we are here for you two. We aren't going to just up and leave. Did they say yet when she can go home? Or are they planning on admitting her?" Jim asked, sipping his latte.

"Well, they didn't say anything yet, but, I don't think they are going to admit her. Once she gets the blood replenishment, she will most likely be sent home on light duty for a few weeks, or a couple months, who knows." He shrugged, letting out a loud breath. "I was going to take her back home to Georgia, tell the family, maybe even pop the question, who knows? But, I don't know if she is going to be healthy or well enough for travel honestly." He shook his head.

"Whoa, Bones? Willingly remarrying?" Jim chuckled. "With the way you talk about your ex-wife, I didn't think you'd ever stand at the altar again." He laughed softly.

"Yeah well, if it were anybody else, I wouldn't even consider it." He shook his head. "But she is, so very different. As soon as we found out she was pregnant, I thought about asking her to marry me, because I wouldn't want a child out of wedlock. It isn't the gentlemanly thing to do. Besides, my mother would kill me." He shook his head smiling. His mother, the sweet gentle southern soul would have taken her heavy cast iron skillet to his head if he had gotten such a good woman pregnant without putting a ring on her finger. His father was also the old southern gentleman, and would have most likely sat him down on the front porch, giving him the good old fatherly 3 hour talk about women, and about knowing when the right one came along.

Jim smiled at the idea of Addy and Bones getting married, oddly enough. He could just see the poor doctor sweating bullets, maybe even fainting when he saw Adelaide in her wedding dress. He wondered what type of dress she would wear. Would it be long, and puffy like a princess, or sleek and modern, showing her curves? Heavy, light, long, short? Would she put her hair up or down? Why was he thinking about her wedding so much? The last time he thought about her getting married, it terrified him, and now, he was fantasizing about what she would look like as a blushing bride.

"Does she know you were going to propose?" Nyota smiled. Leonard shook his head. "I bet she would be thrilled. She really loves you, you know." She ran her fingers through her ponytail. "She always talks about you two when we are out together, or when we are at the gym together. It's almost annoying, but, she always speaks highly of you."

"Has she said anything about me?" Jim perked up, partly joking.

"She said she wishes you two could have parted on good terms, and that she is happy you two can at least have a friendly working relationship." Nyota spoke curtly. Jim nodded, with an accepting look. "She was always worried about how you would react to their news." She stirred her drink. "She cares enough about you to care about what you think, and your feelings. She just can't deny her own feelings for the sake of yours." Nyota caught Jims eye.

"Is that true Bones?" Jim looked at him.

"If anything made her nervous or stressed, it was how you would react. At first, sure, she didn't care, because it was just for fun and relief, but, as it escalated, she began to get nervous and weird about it. She was terrified about how you'd react to news of a baby, but luckily, she doesn't even know I've told you." Leonard sat back drinking his coffee. "She still cares about you a lot. You were a large part of her life, and it's hard for her to just let you go like you never existed now that you've come back into her life."

"Are you okay with that Bones?" Jim questioned. Bones winced, as he weighed his thoughts.

"Well, I wasn't entirely thrilled at first, but, I trust her. If she wants to have you as a friend, or just as an acquaintance, I won't stop it. As long as she's happy." He nodded slowly, not looking directly at him, but rather thinking on his answer. Jim excused himself to sit in the lobby, elated that Addy still cared about him. Only a few minutes after Jim left, Dr. Charles came back in to check on his patient.

"How has she been?" Dr. Charles asked, looking at Leonard.

"Well, pretty good, just sleeping. We've been in here talking, ans she hasn't even woken up. Her vitals are doing good, though her BP is still a little low. 82 over 54. It'll probably come up once her replenisher is finished running." He eyes the bag that was halfway transfused.

"Yeah, she gave us quite a scare when her pressures crashed. I've never seen a woman lose so much blood so fast, especially not through the vagina like that." He shook his head. "I mean, I haven't been in the ER for a long time, but was my first case like this." He charted in his padd.

"Well, you did good, the ER isn't the easiest place." Leonard cocked a brow at him. A part of him was nervous that he was taking care of Addy, and yet was still so new to having to think on his feet. He had to get used to thinking fast when the last CMO on the Enterprise died in the Romulan attack. The medbay was an ER, a clinic, a surgical suite, basically a hospital all in one. With incompetent nurses who weren't used to working fast, he was stuck learning how to work fast on his own.

Addy began to stir a little, kicking some of the blankets off of her legs, moaning. Nyota was the first to jump up, making sure her feet stayed covered, trying to keep her warm. Leonard grabbed her hand, and looked at Addy, waiting for her to open her eyes. Dr. Charles got closer, as Spock stood back, allowing them to care for her.

Leonard was the first thing Addy saw through her blurred vision. She reached up slowly, rubbing his arm. "Len, you're here." She sighed sleepily, her head still swimming from the sedatives. Leonard rubbed his thumb across her cheek, smiling at her, happy to hear her voice so sweet and free of pain.

"Is, everything alright?" She blinked firmly a few times looking around. "Nyota, Spock, hey." She smiled, happy to see her friends.

"Addy, um, we need to talk sweetie." Leonard looked over his shoulder at Spock and Nyota, giving them the look of needing privacy. Spock got the hint, and took Nyotas hand, as they stood outside of the window. Though they couldnt hear the conversation that was taking place, Nyota could make out the conversation by their expressions. Spock was just returning with Jim when Nyota put her hand up to her mouth, tears surfacing in her eyes. As soon as she felt Spock next to her, she turned to hug him.

The twisted anguish that came across Adelaides face affected Nyota. She had rarely seen someone so distraught. She knew how much a family meant to Addy and Leonard. Addy knew that she wanted children, she and Nyota had talked about kids before. But to hear the news must have ripped her heart out a thousand times. Jim sniffed as he saw her expression through the window. There was his sweet Addy, her knees pulled up to her chest, hanging her head, tears falling free from her eyes. Leonard was standing now, rubbing her back, and gently petting her head. She looked up to Leonard, shaking her head, wiping her tears with the backs of her hands. All he could make out was her mouthing the words '_I'm sorry, I'm so sorry._'

* * *

Leonard was finally able to take Addy home a few hours after she woke up. Spock and Nyota left shortly after Addy found out, she had lost the desire for company. She felt too sad and ashamed to even be around Leonard, but, she needed someone there for her. Jim would occasionally pop by to see how they were doing, before going back to the waiting room. He was still there as Leonard pushed Addy in a wheelchair out to the main entrance. Jim took the cab with them, covering the fare, and made sure she was tucked away safely in bed.

"Is there anything I can do for you guys?" He asked. Addy was in bed, as Leonard stood in the kitchen, looking around as if he had lost something,

"I don't think so. I'm going to go to the store here in a few. She'll probably want ice cream."

"French vanilla?" Jim raised an eyebrow.

"None other." Leonard agreed with a soft chuckle. At least that hadn't changed. Addy loved simple flavors, as long as they were good and rich. No fake flavors. "In this case, I should probably get the fudge and whipped cream too." He looked past Jim to the closed door at the end of the hall. On her very worst days, she would have her simple sundaes.

"Well, let's go get that ice cream then." Jim slapped the counter, pulling his coat on. Leonard disappeared into the back room for a few moments, no doubt letting Addy know he was stepping out to the store so she wouldn't worry. Jim and Leonard strolled down the street to the store in relative silence. The world seemed too quiet around them, a haze clung in the air as the sun tried to burn it away. It was cold out, making Leonard jam his hands further into his pockets.

They got what they needed, and then a lot more. Leonard decided to try and get some other light foods that Addy would eat. She likely wouldn't have much of an appetite, but he had to try and keep her strength up. "You know Bones, I didn't think you'd be doing all your grocery shopping." Jim laughed as he grabbed a couple of bags from the counter.

"Yeah, well, I don't think I'll be leaving the house too much the next couple days until Addy starts on the rebound. I just..." He stopped, not knowing how to really finish that. "I don't want her to feel like she is alone." He sighed.

"Well, I'm sure she would understand though, right?" Jim shivered in the cool air.

"Yeah, but, she was already afraid before all of this happened. Right off the bat, she was terrified I'd leave her. I don't want her to think I'm distancing myself from her in light of all of this. I think, whether she really wants the company or not, she needs me there, if only to show her that I'm there." Leonard struggled to open the door to their building, holding it for Jim who followed behind.

"She knows you wouldn't bail on her though, right?" Jim laughed. "You? Bones? You are loyal to a fault."

"Well, that all goes back to you two." Bones looked away, not trying to accuse him of anything.

"Ah, well, I mean, yeah." Jim tripped over his words. He couldn't really work his way out of that one. He seemed to be the root of her relationship and esteem problems, not that she had many. They set down the groceries, Jim watching as Leonard put them away. Addy shuffled out of the room, rubbing her swollen eyes, Leonards long shirt brushing her lower thighs. She wore a thick pair of patterned socks that punched up around her ankles.

"Hi Jim, hi Len." She spoke softly, not really looking at either one. She looked through the bags, trying to find the ice cream. Whenever she was in a bad mood, or on her period, Leonard got her ice cream, so when Leonard told her he was going to the store, she was positive he would bring her back her favorite ice cream. Grabbing a spoon, she tucked right in, sitting at the table.

"How are you feeling?" Jim spoke from the breakfast bar. She shrugged, crossing her legs, rolling a ball of ice cream on her tongue.

"I'm feeling a bit better." She finally replied once the ice cream was melted. "I mean, it sucks, yeah." Jim nodded. Leonard was leaning against the counter.

"Well, we can talk about it later sweetheart." Leonard spoke firmly, not wanting to get her riled up in front of Jim. She had been very emotional at the hospital, and she and Leonard hadn't gotten a chance to talk since she had been home. Jim nodded, getting the hint.

"I'm going to go ahead and let you two go. I'm dog tired and need to rest before I get back to work." He smiled between the two of them. "Call me if you need anything, alright?" He looked back at Leonard.

"Speaking of that, I need to call the hospital and let them know we aren't going to be there for the next few days." Leonard sighed, his arms crossed over his chest. "I'll see you Jim." He nodded as Jim saw himself out.

Addy got up, helping to put the rest of the groceries away. "I can take care of this you know. You should be resting." Leonard took a small box of pasta from her hand.

"Leonard, I'm fine, I can help." She reached for the box. Leonard put the box on the counter, and held her gently at the waist.

"Adelaide, we almost lost our baby. You aren't okay. You need to rest." He looked at her in the eye.

"Len, I know, but-"

"But we only have a 50/50 chance of actually having this baby right now, Adelaide. I need you to please, rest. I don't want to lose this child, and my god I thought I was about to lose you." He nuzzled her cheek with his.

"I just don't like feeling so useless." She sighed angrily.

"You aren't useless. You are trying to grow a new person in you. That isn't useless to me. Besides, if that the doctor says is true, and this may be our only shot, then it really isn't useless. I need you to put all of your time and effort into staying calm, staying relaxed, and staying healthy until the doctor clears you. Most likely that will be in the 3rd trimester." He rubbed her sides.

She nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks. She hated the thought that she may not be able to bear Leonards child, or any child for that matter. It was like the female version of being emasculated. It made her feel like less of a woman, and she could only apologize to Leonard to possibly deny him of that chance to be a father. They walked back into the room, Leonard did what he could to make her comfortable. He was not quite ready to fall asleep yet.

"Len, would you still be with me, if I couldn't have kids?" She asked quietly, meekly. Leonards breath hitched when he heard her words, and so he laid down and faced her.

"I would be with you no matter what." He kissed her forehead. "We don't have to have a child in order to be happy with each other, right?" He stroked her cheek as she shook her head.

"It's just, if you want a child to carry on your name and genes, I mean, I would understand." She choked out.

"I am not going to find someone else to have kids with Adelaide." He was starting to get a little angry. Not at her particularly, but with everything compiling on top of one another, it was starting to wear on him. "Hell, we can adopt, but we aren't at that option yet. We might decide to only have one, and adopt others. Who knows? All I know is that for right now, I'm here with you, and I'm happy. I've told you once, I'll say it again, I'm here for you, we will do this together." He sat up. Addy could hear the irritation in his voice and decided not to push the kind man.

"I'm sorry Len." She sniffled, resting a hand on his stomach. "I just, I don't know." She shook her head.

"You just want to know that I'm not running off, I know. And I'm not. We need each other now more than ever. I need you now more than ever." He held her hand, stroking the back of it with his thumb. She nodded, and pulled him in closer to him before falling back asleep.

* * *

Leonard stayed with Addy the following few days, making sure she didn't exert herself too much. He wanted to increase every chance they had at keeping their baby. He only allowed her short walks with him, always careful no to walk in busy areas where she would be bumped and barged into. Though it irritated Addy to feel monitored and watched like a prisoner, she understood where Leonard was coming from, and why he was being so protective of her every move.

She thought it must have been exhausting for the man to have to follow her around, making sure she didnt trip, or do anything too rigorous, especially when she got really cranky and would end up bickering with him. She felt terrible, because she was sure it hurt his feelings to some degree, but she was just so tired of it sometimes.

That nice, after he had Addy lay down, Leonard sat on the balcony with a shot of whiskey in one hand, and a picture of them in the other. Though the night was freezing cold, he enjoyed it, watching the twinkling lights on the other side of the bay. He breath left him in a fog, as he sat back, nursing his whiskey. He shook his head, and began to cry softly, looking occasionally at their picture. His tear fell on the paper, as he thumbed it away gently.

"Leonard, are you okay?" Adelaide had been watching him for a few moments before stepping out. He had left the door open a bit in case she cried out for him. He turned to her and looked away again, wiping the tears away quickly. She stepped out, sitting down on his lap, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "Sweetie, I'm here for you, you can talk to me." She nudged his forehead with hers.

"This is all, just, frustrating, and angersome, and I hate it." He gritted, not looking up. "I'm worried, Adelaide." He brought his arm around her back, setting his drink down on the table so he could hold her thighs. "I'm anxious about whats gonna happen." He shook his head.

Leonard had hardly talked to Addy about his own feelings, rather keeping them pent up in his own mind, when she vented hers. He didn't want to burden her with his thoughts, but they were proving too hard to control that night. Addy ran her fingers through his hair, soothing him and trying to loosen him up. "Addy, I feel like, I didn't just almost lose our child, I felt like I almost lost you. That night could have been a lot worse than it was. And I don't think I could handle losing you both at once. I know you get mad at me for being protective, but, I can't risk losing you or the baby." He looked up into her eyes.

"The moment Dr. Charles came in, and told me they were stabilizing your blood pressure because it crashed, my body went cold. You were bleeding, your pressures were down, I mean, I didn't know what was happening, and they weren't going to let me go in and see you until they felt you were steady. It was... The hardest thing I've had to do, sit back and just wait and hope that you were going to be alright, not know if you would make it."

"I'm sorry Len." She spoke softly.

"When you get angry at me for trying to keep you safe, it makes me wonder if you even want this child. I know you do, but, I just can't help it. I mean, why would anyone be angry about trying to keep their child safe?" He shook his head, feeling silly, but it broke Addys heart.

"Of course I want this child with you Leonard." She shifted.

"Then, for the sake of our future, will you please, just, enjoy being bedridden and on a light profile? Stop getting so upset at me for trying to keep you safe, and just understand why." He looked up at her with pleading eyes trying to find his words. He rested his hand on her belly, rubbing it gently.

"I'm sorry for getting upset at you. I'm not mad at you, and I'm sorry for taking my anger and frustrations out on you. I know you aren't my emotional punching bag, and I'm sorry for treating you like one." She kissed his forehead.

"Thats all I want to know. That you do want this kid, and that you will work on not getting so angry with me over this." He sighed, his eyes still moist. She smiled down to him, and reached down into a deep kiss. "Mmm, what do I get that one for?" He grinned when she pulled away.

"For just talking to me." She rested her cheek to his head, looking out across the bay as well. "Are we still going to Georgia?" She popped her head up. Leonard sighed.

"That is going to depend entirely on what the doctor says. If the fetus is stable enough for travel, then fine. Otherwise, I might be able to talk my parents into coming out here." He sighed. He didn't think his parents had been into the big cities, preferring their smaller towns over large cities. Of course, there was still another matter to settle before she met his parents, he just didn't know how to go about it now.

Addy sat down in the other seat, wrapping her long robe around her tighter, comfortably watching the night sky. Their conversations were plagued with periods of silence, as they just relished the moment with one another.

"It's late sweetie. We should get to bed." Addy looked inside at the clock. "Besides, I'd rather cuddle in bed right now. I'm getting cold." She smiled with a slight chatter on her teeth. Leonard nodded in agreement and went back to the room with her. She stripped down to nothing but panties, and pulled the blankets down getting ready for bed. Leonard stopped her before she could get in, getting to his knees. He rested his lips on her tummy, hugging her hips.

"I love you. Boy, or girl, I love you. We'll take care of ya out here, just work on growing big and healthy." He murmured his prayer to their baby, leaving a tender kiss. Addy teared up, rubbing his shoulders as he showed his sensitive side. He stood up, and let her crawl in before following suit. He made himself at home as his hands roamed her body. He loved feeling her skin, knowing her body was there next to his. That was the thought that allowed him a deep sleep that night.

* * *

That morning, Leonard made a few calls while the woman of his dreams slept. She was having a wonderful dream, as she was curled up under the heavy comforters on their bed. By the time he got out of the shower, Addy was sitting up, looking around sleepily at him.

"Mornin sunshine." He smiled, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

"Mornin." She replied groggily, watching as Leonard finished drying off. She was enticed by his naked body, even in her sleepy state.

"I made ya some decaf." He looked over his shoulder. "Jim is coming over to stay with you for a little while." He grabbed a pair of boxers out of the dresser.

"Why? Where are you headed?" She crawled out of bed, throwing on a tight long sleeved shirt, searching for a pair of loose sweats.

"I gotta go in to work for a little bit. But I don't want you to be home alone." He pulled on a shirt, following her out to the kitchen as she poured herself a cup of the decaf he made her. She took a sip and gave a small pout. "Awe, whats wrong toots?" He leaned against the bar.

"It's just not the same as full strength." She joked, causing them to laugh. "Thank you Len, I appreciate you making coffee." She leaned across the counter to kiss him. "What time is Jim going to be here?" She asked, still leaned in close to him.

"Um, I'd say ten minutes?" He guessed, looking at the clock.

"Well, that's not so bad. I might call Nyota to see if maybe she would want to go for a walk with me in a bit." She shook her hair out.

"I think she has to work, actually." Leonard spoke, almost too quickly.

"What about Spock?"

"He is definitely at work." Which Leonard knew what the truth.

"Alright then." She sighed. "How long do you think you'll be gone?" She looked up.

"You'll be fine." He he chuckled.

As soon as Jim got there, Leonard left. He caught a cab to the mall and waited. Nyota showed up shortly after he arrived, as she walked up to him giving him a hug.

"So, are you ready?" She grinned.

"Ready as ever." He took a deep breath.

"Good. I've been waiting for this for a long time." She took his arm and walked inside the mall. "So, what did you tell Addy you were doing?"

"I told her I as at work. Lets just hope she doesn't call."

"Do you think she has any idea?"

"Maybe, maybe not. If she does, she hasn't said anything." He arched a brow, following Nyotas lead. They stopped outside of a shop, as Nyota looked up at the shop sign excitedly. "They have the BEST engagement and wedding rings. I know, I've come by and looked when Spock was busy." She blushed.

"Well, thanks for coming. I have an idea about what to get her, but I think this needs a ladies touch." He shook his head.

They walked in and began the long pursuit of the perfect ring.


	9. Welcome to the Family

**I do not own nor profit from Star Trek or Gene Roddenberrys creations**

**A/N: I want to thank the followers this story has received as well as the reviews.**

* * *

Jim sat back in his apartment alone for a change. Normally he had female companionship at this hour of the night, but tonight he was in no mood to entertain. Adelaide had been resting at home since her ordeal at the hospital, but his mind still worried. He wondered if he would have had the strength to go through what Addy and Bones were going through. With his refusal to except no win situations, he probably would have stressed Addy out more than the pregnancy itself.

She looked beautiful, when she wasn't looking miserably sick. That glow people always talk about in pregnant women definitely showed in her. It radiated like the sun, through her infectious laugh, and even through the gentle touch of her hand. With a deep breath, he opened up a small box that he kept stored away in his closet. Spreading the contents out on his bed, he smiled. Pictures that he had of her, pictures he had managed to find again through friends and his family. Pictures he had snipped from articles she was pictured in. He had been saving them, and holding onto them fueling his pain, fueling his fight.

The pictures spanned through much of her lifetime. He laughed, looking upon her as a 6 year old with a missing tooth and a large toothy smile, her overalls dirty as she proudly held a mudpuppy she had caught. Next photo, she was at Jims 10th birthday. He looked so young and geeky then, stringy compared to himself now. His blonde locks nearly covered his ears as he looked at the camera, and she was stabbing at his piece of cake. The pictures continued, from her driving her first car with him, to their prom, to their adulthood as they smiled, her arms draped around his neck smiling brightly.

He began to move into her later pictures. For the first time, he saw her. Really saw her. The light that shone in her eyes had been diminished. Her smile wasn't as wide or as bright. Jim stroked her face, seeing how miserable she looked when she first entered Star Fleet. It was clear how she dropped weight, looking quite fragile in the beginning, still reeling from their recent breakup. By the time she was assigned to the Farragut, she looked healthy, but still unhappy. In fact, it wasn't until she was pictured after meeting Bones that the happiness began to creep back up into her eyes.

He never was able to shake the emptiness that he felt. The emptiness that only she had ever been capable of filling. The void she left in her wake when he removed her from his life, was much more devastating than he had thought it would be all those years ago. Even through the women he brought home, he found no solace. Never solace for the heartbroken man. But knowing that she still cared greatly for him helped to close this gaping hole a little bit. Knowing that she held no animosity towards him helped to fill in what she (though really he) left behind.

He held her pictures close as he closed his eyes, falling into a light slumber.

* * *

Their transport rocked slightly as Adelaide looked out the window. They were flying over open farmlands, the shadows of the clouds shading some areas. Leonard sat next to her holding her hand, his head leaned back, taking a nap. It was only a thirty minute flight, but there was little between them to be said. Their body language had said it all, the gentle hand holding, the light kisses they exchanged. She was excited to see his family, and had been sure to tell him many times. Once she had been cleared for travel, they went straight home and packed their bags. Leonard was more zealous in the endeavor than she was as he pulled out a small case, running around their apartment trying to gather everything they'd need.

The thought of him being so excited was amusing to her, as his face turned towards her. The landing message came over the com, waking Leonard abruptly. He sat up, rubbing his face, and looked out of the window. "Well, it looks like home." He sighed sleepily, his hand reaching over to rub her thigh. "Almost there sugar."

"Well, I personally can't wait to land." She grinned. putting her hair in a low ponytail.

"Oh yes you can." Leonard smirked.

The moment they stepped off of the shuttle, she gasped. "Oh my gosh, the humidity!" She looked in horror to Leonard who was laughing at her reaction. "Oh I hope your parents have air conditioning." She pouted, feeling skin damped, sweat beginning to build on her forehead. Leonard carried their bag as she walked with him, thanking her stars he told her to wear a thin top that day. He had pulled a pair of cropped stretch pants and a short babydoll dress to help hide her growing belly.

"Leonard! Oh, Leonard my sweet child!" She heard a loud voice ring out above the crowd. Leonard pulled Addy along faster towards a woman who was frantically waving her plump hand in the air. She had on a sunhat that held down her long wavy hair and a purple sun dress to match. She quickly had her arms around Leonards neck, hugging him tightly, twisting him side to side. Her laugh was loud and hearty. "Oh my baby, look at you! You have been growing, someone has been feeding you as good as mama!" She patted his side as Leonard rolled his eyes.

"Mom, I want you to meet Adelaide." He pulled her forward, as she extended her hand in politeness. Instead his mother pulled her into a big hug.

"Oh, my doll, it's so nice to meet you!" She stepped back, having felt the bulge. "Oh, bless me, Leonard! I thought you were just joking with me, pulling my strings when you said she was pregnant!" She squealed in delight, holding Leonard by the cheeks, before moving her hands to the sides of Addys belly. "Hello in there! I'm gonna be your meemaw!" She moved her face in closer as if cooing a baby. "Oh your daddy is gonna be so excited!" She stepped back, holding Addys hand.

"Where is Dad anyways?" He looked around.

"Oh, that man is back at home, he has his grill going, you know that man." She shook her head. "Come on, let's get ya'll home and set up. I'm sure you'll wanna take a little nap before dinner?" She looked to Addy as she nodded.

"Leonard here, has been napping on the way over." She poked at his sides playfully as he twitched. The three piled into her truck, as she drove them through the city and out towards the country. Addy watched as the houses thinned out, giving way to more grasslands fields and long whispy weeping willows. The smell of magnolias was heavy in the air as Addy took a deep breath, letting the air flow over her face. Leonard sat in the middle, talking with his mother, as they let her take in her surroundings. Their conversation was mostly about what has changed since Leonard had left for Star Fleet, who moved out, who moved in, whats been torn down and whats been rebuilt in their town.

They turned down a dusty road, pulling up a large light blue house. "Welcome home my babies." Momma Diane beamed. Addy looked in awe, seeing the home. The large wraparound porch was adorned with morning glories growing up the railings and supports, a swinging sofa was occupied by a large dog. "My gosh, ya'll still have Roscoe?" Leonard laughed as the old hound lazily got off of the sofa and stretched, giving a lazy woof in the process.

"You know it! That old pooch still has a lotta life left in 'im." Diane laughed. When they came to a stop outside of the house, Roscoe came sniffing at the passenger door, looking up inquisitively at Addy. "Leave 'er 'lone Roscoe! You go on and git!" Diane was shooing him away so Addy could open the door. As soon as Roscoe realized he didn't recognize her scent, he let out a long howl mixed with an alarming bark, backing up slowly from the truck.

"Roscoe! Go on away you mutt you!" Leonard drew loudly, getting out on his mothers side. The southern accent was definitely coming back out in him as he waved his arms away. "It's alright darlin, he won't bite, he's just a little senile." He chuckled as he opened her door. She stepped out nervously as the dog trotted up to sniff at her feet and hands. It was a tense moment for her, waiting for the canines reaction, but instead of biting or licking, the dog just walked away. "That's odd. Must'a heard pa callin."

Diane led them up to a room that overlooked a small duck pond and a weeping willow. It had a very country feel to it, a thick hand stitched quilt was laying on the bed, pillows fluffed, with a breeze going blowing by the white linen curtains. It was nicely decorated with a scenic painting and a vanity desk and mirror. "This is very lovely." Addy spoke softly as she looked around.

"Well this used to be Leonards room before he moved out. He always loved looking down at that pond. Of course now, I had to clean it up and make it a presentable guest bedroom..." She eyed Leonard. "Because some young man didn't want to clean it proper before he left." Leonard shrugged guiltily as Diane shook her head.

"Well I'll let you two settle in, I'm sure ya'll are just starvin. Supper should be ready in a few." She smiled and left. Addy turned to Leonard and smiled brightly.

"She likes you." Leonard smiled.

"How do you know? She could hate me." She shook her head.

"No, she hates my ex wife. If she hated you, she'd glare at you and make underhanded remarks." Leonard held her sides, gently rubbing up and down, feeling her bulge.

"You are having too much fun feeling mah belly." She leaned up to kiss him with a soft laugh.

"Yeah, I suppose I am." He kissed back before setting their pack on the end of the bed, leading her downstairs.

"Oh, just in time, Len you go on and take these plates out to the patio." Diane handed him a stack of dinner plates before reaching for a large bowl of potato salad.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Addy didn't like not being useful, watching as they were preparing the meal.

"No sweetheart, just go wash up and get ready to eat." Leonard called over his shoulder.

Diane shook her head. "Boys. If you wanna go ahead and grab some silverware and napkins that'd be greatly appreciated. Third drawer to the left there." She nodded.

Addy looked at the table hungrily. Ribs, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, hush puppies, collard greens, biscuits, fruit salad the meal seemed to go on. "Well jeez ma, I think you made enough to feed an army." Leonard laughed, placing a plate at the head of the table.

"Nope, just enough to feed my boy." She smirked. "Unless you don't eat like you used to."

"This child would sit down and I swear he could half a cow to himself. For a few good years we nicknamed him the bottomless pit." A man that looked like Leonard walked up behind her. "David McCoy, nice to meet you there doll." He reached his arms out and hugged Addy.

"Adelaide Myers, nice to meet you sir." She smiled.

"Are you up for some five alarm barbeque sauce?" He winked at her, as he left to go greet his son.

"Dad, she ain't having the sauce. The last thing I need is for her to go drinking up half the counties water." He rolled, taking a hug with a large pat on the back.

"Well, I suppose I'll try it." Addy smirked and sat down at the table. They said grace and dug in, passing bowls and plates. Everything looked so delicious Addy had to try it all. "Oh, Mrs. McCoy, now I know where Leonard gets his wonderful cooking skills from." She sighed, savoring the macaroni and cheese.

"Leonard? Cook? Well that's a new one by me. I don't think he'd ever cooked." She laughed, wiping her mouth with her napkin.

"Well, ma, things change. I can too cook." He defended taking a bite of a rib he'd dipped in a bowl of BBQ sauce. "Hawt damn!" He threw his rib down. His eyes began to water and his face got red, as he held a fist to his mouth, forcing himself to chew.

"Ha! Got somathat 5 alarm sauce I told ya 'bout!" his father laughed. Leonard nodded painfully, reaching for his glass of iced tea. "how about you lil missy, you care ta'try?" He passed her the bowl of sauce. She took a deep breath, and ripped off a piece of meat, dipping it in. Leonard looked in horror, seeing the large glob of deep red, almost brown sauce at the end of her fingers. Without hesitation she put it in her mouth and began chewing. Her eyes grew wide, and her chewing slowed.

"Now see what you've gone on and done!" Diane raised her voice at David. "Poor doll won't be able to finish her meal, mouth a'burnin like that." She stood up, getting Addy some unsweetened ice tea.

"That. Is. Amazing." Addy covered her mouth to be polite, staring at the bowl of the fiery, blood boiling condiment. She quickly spooned some onto her plate, dipping more of her rib into it.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Leonard looked on shock. "You can actually eat that stuff?" He shook his head before swishing more cool tea in his mouth trying to wash away the burn.

"Oh, this is so delicious." She was in bliss, savoring the heat. "Mr. McCoy, this is amazing. It's so hot, but still so flavorful!" She looked at him taking another bite. Her lips burned a little bit, and she felt herself starting to warm up, but she was too enthralled to care. Diane stood there, staring at her.

"My gosh Len, you know she's in good in pa's book, yeah?" She shook her head as she set Addy's glass back down. "She eats almost as well as you do!" She sat back down, happy to see this womans appetite.

"Just be careful there Ads, don't want you to take in too much salt, don't need ya havin blood pressure through the roof." Leonard cocked a brow, still hot from the BBQ sauce. She nodded, setting down a clean bone.

"Well I can tell ya, any gal with'n appetites gon' fit in real good with this family." David smiled, buttering a biscuit. Addy sucked the sauce off of her fingers, nodding. She tried to hide her smirk as Leonard rubbed her foot with his under the table.

"Well, I think I am definitely going to make an appetite if the food is this good." She blushed.

* * *

Addy and Diane stood in the kitchen washing the dishes while the men put the food away. Addy would scrub and rinse them, and Diane would either load them in the dishwasher, or hand dry them and put them away. "You are such a help, thank you." Diane smiled as Addy handed her the last plate.

"It's no problem at all." She smiled. Leonard was just finishing wiping down the counters.

"Well, if we're all done out here, we got a bonfire to start." David peeked his head in through the back door. The trio walked out to the back where indeed David had started a fire up. Diane sat next to David, who took her hand, kissing the back of it gently. Leonard sat down in one of the reclining patio chairs and patted the spot between his legs.

"Come on darlin, got your spot right here." He smirked at her as she took the seat blushing. He pulled her back into his chest, reaching down cradling her abdomen.

"Oh they look so cute together." Diane whispered excitedly to her husband.

"Reminds me of us when we were young, you remember doll?" David kissed his wife tenderly. She had been the love of his life, and knew from day one that he would marry her. She was strong and solid, with a no mess attitude wrapped in sweetness and a kind heart. He watched his wife blush happily, as she squeezed his hand a little tighter.

They asked Addy and Leonard a lot of questions over the bonfire. Things like where they met, how they got to know each other to wedding bells and wether they were hoping to have a boy or a girl. They spent a long while telling Adelaide all about Leonard as a child, which kept her laughing, and Leonard red in the face trying to hide.

"Leoanrd, you never told me like, HALF this stuff!" She wiped a tear away, as she looked back at her sweet man.

"Yeah yeah, yuk it up." He nodded unamused.

"Awww, sweetheart, don't be like that, it's funny." She smiled, resting her hand on his, which was still holding her tummy. It had become a habit for him, whenever he could to feel her belly, as if scared it was going to go somewhere. They were getting out of the danger zone with the pregnancy, but he still wasn't comfortable. He wouldn't be comfortable until the baby was born. Then he would spend the rest of his life worrying about his son or daughter.

"So do you know where you are going to have the baby?" Diane asked. Leonard had talked to his mom, but not to Adelaide about this topic.

"What do you mean?" She tilted her head confused.

"Addy, I was supposed to talk to you about that." Leonard winced.

"Len, you didn't ask her?! Well now I feel like a jerk." Diane shook her head rolling her eyes.

"About what?" Addy looked back at Leonard.

"Well, my mom was wondering if you would consider having the baby out here in Georgia instead of at home." Leonard took a deep breath.

She fell silent. "Well now see child, you gone and made me look like some sort of demanding mother." She sighed. "It's alright Addy, if you want to have the baby at home, I'll understand. I just thought I'd ask Leonard about it and I probably shouldn't have."

"It's alright. I understand." She shook her head. "If anything, well, Leonard knows how I can be sometimes, moody and all. I just don't want to accidentally treat anybody ill in my bad moods if I have any by that time." She looked down, fingering at the lower hem of Leonards shirt.

"Trust me darlin, they'd understand." Len rubbed his thumbs against her. "How about a deal?" He looked up to his parents

"What typa deal ya lookin at?" David leaned forward with an elbow on his knee. "What the- Where the hell you come from old mutt?" Addy giggled as Roscoe popped his head up from Leonards side. He put a hand out to scretch the dog behind the ear.

"Well, if Addy will have it... you come to our wedding, and we have the baby here?" Addy sat up looking at him.

"What wedding?" She was stunned.

"Adelaide, if you'd have it, I'd like to marry you. In California." He looked into her eyes which were alight in passion and bliss. He couldn't bring himself to move away from her as he held her hands. His mother was in the back, holding her hands over her mouth, his father nodding with a knowing smirk. Addy teared up. He caught his mother behind her shoulder suddenly violently motioning for him to get on his knee. He took a breath, and maneuvered to his feet, before dropping to one knee before her. She was still speechless. Leonard on his knees before her made it that much more real to her that this was happening. From his pocket, he produced a ring which he presented after picking off a piece of pocket lint.

"Adelaide Myers, will you do me the honor of marrying me?" He recited. Addy could do nothing but nod slowly, her words escaping her. He slipped the diamond studded band on her finger as she gasped. Dianes vigorous clapping and squealing in the background broke her silence.

"Oh, Leonard..." She breathed shakily still unable to move her eyes away from him. He took her into a kiss to reassure her, and that all would be perfect.

* * *

She hadn't stopped smiling since the moment Leonard propose. They were stepping off of the shuttle in California, ready to sleep in their own bed as Scotty came up.

"Aye you two, I'm to git ya', cap'ns orders." He beamed, opening his arms wide.

"Hey Scotty, glad to see you." Addy grinned, hugging him.

"I cannae believe you're gettin so big!" He stepped back. "I cannae wrap my arms around ye." He laughed as Addy rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, well, she ate pretty good at my parents too." Leonard put in. "Lets see, five alarm sauce, a rack of ribs, two pounds of potato salad, twelve egg omelette, twenty ounce prime rib..." He started listing off a dramatized list of foods they had.

"Leonard! I did not!" She slapped his arm playfully as the scotsmans eyes widened.

"By the look of yer belly, I'd believe it!" He laughed, receiving a glare from Addy. "Come on, I'll get ya home." He laughed again shaking his head.

By the time their bags were unpacked and they were well napped, it was nearly 6. "Babe, I'm hungry." Leonard looked over at her as she rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"What do you want to eat?" She mumbled, not really wanting to leave the comfort of her bed.

"How about some greasy diner food?"

"Nah, I'm not feeling in the mood for greasy food." She sighed, trying to think about what sounded good.

"How about enchiladas?"

"Deal." She nodded, thinking about how good the sauce sounded. "So, how do we announce our engagement?" She looked up at him.

"Well, one person already knows. But, I don't know. We could hold a dinner party, or, we could just send out wedding invitations." He shrugged. "I mean, we'll want to get married soon, right?" They got out of bed to get ready.

"Yeah, I guess. I just don't want it to be too stressful, you know? I'd prefer something simple, small. I'd rather save the money for the baby." She pulled a heavier shirt on.

"Understandable. Well, we can always get married at the beach. That's free." He offered.

"But public. And I don't want a bunch of random strangers all over." She laughed.

"What about at the assembly center?"

"That wouldn't be a bad idea." She thought. "It wouldn't be full, but it would definitely be nice. Of course, I'd have to make sure my dress isn't too long or else I'd trip and fall on my face." She laughed.

"No, you'd hit your belly first." He gave her a worried expression.

He tied his shoes and grabbed a coat, placing a hand at the base of her spine to guide her out of the door. They walked towards the local taco cantina, a place that Leonard discovered when he needed a quick bite late at night. He found that their enchiladas were some of the best he had ever had.

The decor was traditional they took a small booth. The hostess brought them chips and salsa, and set down two waters. "Your server will be with you shortly." She said in a robotic tone.

"Oh, this smells so good." She took a deep breath. "So, question, when do you want to get married?" She asked, dipping a chip.

"Next month, preferably. It'll give us the last three months or so to focus on getting everything ready. Oh, and mom is pulling some stuff from when I was a baby. She said we can take it with us if we want it. So, maybe we can take another trip there for a weekend just to look over everything. It'll take some stuff off our list, but, whatever we don't take, we may still need to get." He spoke as he chewed.

"That would be great. It would take some pressure off. I was thinking of asking Nyota to help me with the wedding, since she's really the only woman I hang out with." She shrugged.

"Good, that would be good. I think she knows you well, since she's the one that helped me pick out your ring." He smirked.

"And a good choice you both made. I love it." She smiled glancing down at her left hand, watching it sparkle in the light.

"Good. Because I wasn't going to take it back." He laughed. "I don't know who I'll ask as my best man though. I'd ask Jim, but, considering your history, I don't think it'd be appropriate." He shook his head.

"Yeah, I understand. You could always ask Spock." She grinned, knowing he and Spock weren't exactly the closest. "Do you think your dad would give me away? I mean, since I don't have mine and all." She looked down carefully trying to get a chunk of onion on her chip.

"I don't see why not. I'll ask him tomorrow since they'll already be asleep. Of course, that's if you really want." He reached over stroking her hand.

"Yeah, I don't think that would be so bad." shivered under his touch. "We still have to think of a venue." She looked up at him arching a brow.

"We will, don't worry. But remember. It's just one day, and the important part is that at the end of the night, we're married. Even if we just go to the justice hall and have a party afterwards that would be fine with me." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

* * *

_one month later..._

Nyota was carefully putting Adelaides hair up into an intricate bun. Addy worked on her makeup, and Diane was making her her dress was perfect. She chose a dress with an empire waist to hang loosely over her belly, that fanned out behind her. She was putting the last touches of gloss on her lips when a soft knock came to the door.

"Oh who is it, we'll be out. Ya'll need to let a lady get her pretty on." Diane shook her finger as she walked to the door.

"Hey, is Addy decent?" She heard a hoarse whisper.

"Yeah, she is. I guess you wanna see her?" She spoke with stressed attitude.

"Yes, may I?"

Diane opened the door, as Jim walked in. He held a small box in his shaking hand. "You are beautiful." He spoke softly, nervous.

"Thank you Jim." She smiled, a light blush coming over her cheeks. Nyota finished the last pin as she stepped back.

"There, finished, it's perfect." She beamed.

"Well, here, I thought that you know, the whole _'something borrowed something blue' _applies, so, I wanted you to have this today." He held out the box as she took it. Addy opened the box delicately and gasped. Inside was a sapphire hair pin in the shape of a rose. Small diamonds accented the edges as she stroked it.

"Jim, it-it's beautiful." She began to tear up. "Oh, your'e going to make me cry before I even walk down the aisle." She tried to laugh.

"It was my mothers. I thought you would like to wear it today. Something borrowed and something blue." He smiled sadly as Nyota put it into her hair gingerly.

"Tibs... It's beautiful..." She choked, knowing how much it meant to him. Nyota nodded in agreement.

"It fits, beauty for beauty." He gave a weak smile. "I miss it when you call me that." He said in a breathy voice.

"Can we have a moment?" She looked at the chair she had been occupying, as the two women left reluctantly. When the door clicked, she hugged Jim.

"I'm sorry. I wish things were different." He held her waist tenderly.

"I know, I'm sorry. Thank you Tibs, for everything." She let go, reaching for a tissue dabbing at her eyes. "See, you already made me cry." She took a shaky breath. "I just, my god. For the longest time I thought I'd be walking down to meet you. Nearly all my life. It's all different now." She looked up to the ceiling trying to stop her crying.

"But you are walking to a good man." Jim replied, a hand on her waist. "And I would rather it be Bones than anybody else... Besides myself of course." He gave her a playful smirk. "You took a lot of crap from my over the years Addy. And it was unfair of me to ask you to take more after you had already taken so much." He shook his head. "In a way, this is me giving you away, of letting our past go as a good memory, so that we can make more good ones."

"I'd like that. I'd like that a lot." She stepped back, sniffing. She glanced at the mirror making sure that her makeup wasn't all too messed up.

"Don't worry, you're still beautiful." He reassured. A knock at the door told them their time was up as Diane peeked her head in.

"Alright now dolly, it's time to do this." She shook her fist excitedly. Jim kissed her on the cheek.

"Go get him."

She grabbed her bouquet of lilies and roses as Nyota and Jim walked down the aisle before her. The music queued, and she took a deep breath. David appeared next to her and offered his arm. "Thank you so much for this." She smiled sadly.

"Nothin to it darlin." He smirked down at her as they walked.

They chose a nice lookout over the bay, with a beautifully decorated stone patio. She walked through the glass door, and into the sunlight. White lilies decorated the aisles, and at the end of the white carpet, stood Leonard with his hands folded in front of him. He was visibly shaking as he saw her walking towards him, an even healthier glow than he had seen before. She seemed to radiate whatever light she took in, and it stunned him. She was shaking herself, ad David gave a soft squeeze of her hand, feeling her trembling.

"It'll be alright darlin'. He's a good man, and he loves you. You know he'd do anything for ya." He whispered. She nodded, knowing it was true. A small tear escaped as she got closer to him. Leonard was dressed in an off-white tuxedo, with a black bow tie.

They stopped at the end of the aisle. "Who will give the bride away today?" The officiant asked.

"That'll be me here." David spoke up, and kissed Addy on the cheek before taking a seat next to his wife.

"So much nicer than that dreadful ex." She whispered happily. David nodded as they watched their son marry the love of his life.

* * *

A/N: So this one bounced around a little bit, but it takes place, as you can tell, around the 6th month of her pregnancy. I wanted to speed this up a little bit. I know this started out about Addy and Jim, but, you know, I didn't want to give Jim a happy ending. He;s the womanizer, and this is the reason for it. Well, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.


	10. Of Beginnings and Endings

**I do not own nor profit from Star Trek or Gene Roddenberrys creations**

**A/N: I think this might have to be the last chapter ya'll. **

* * *

The privacy the newlyweds had in their lakefront cabin was great. The smell of the pine forest that surrounded them permeated the air, keeping it clean and fresh. They enjoyed fishing on the azure lake, Leonard having landed landlocked salmon as Addy laughed trying to net it.

"You know you get to clean it, right?" She laughed as she looked at it. He strung it alongside the boat as they continued to fish, shaking his head in amusement.

"Well, I catch it, you cook it." He retorted.

"You don't gut it, I cook it with the guts in." She crossed her arms in defiance. Leonard shuddered caving in to the fish gutting chore. They spent the rest of the afternoon just paddling around the lake, catching and throwing back their fish. As the sun began to dip lower in the sky, they paddled back towards the shore. Leonard helped his wife step out of their little boat, as she stumbled on the slick bank. "I'm alright babe, don't worry," She smiled at him.

"Well, here, I'll get the rest of the stuff outta the boat, you take these fish up to the cabin and get them ready for cleanin, alright?" He gave her a stern worried look. She nodded and obliged, starting up the path to their little log abode. It was very rustic to say the least, as the she walked past the stone chimney on the way in. She decided to be sweet as she easily gutted the six pound salmon Leonard reeled in, since he was sweet enough to empty the boat on his own.

Leonard walked in, already smelling the dill she was chopping for their meal, a cast iron skillet heating on the stove. She was sprinkling a little salt and pepper on the fillet that she expertly sliced from the body when his hands wrapped around her, his hips grinding into her, swaying her gently. He brought his lips down on her neck breathing her in. Her natural scent drove her wild.

"Len, you oughta be good." She giggled, moaning as his teeth scraped against her skin, she felt the tingle streak through her body.

"Maybe I don't want to?" He groaned, pressing his hardening length into her further. The fish sizzled on the grill as she turned it. His hand snaked up her torso, gently massaging her tender breasts as she hissed inwardly. "Too rough?" He asked, knowing she had been having some pain with too much breast play.

"Just a little, sorry baby." She pouted. He pulled back, and was content to just rub her outer breasts, gently kneading them until he could pull her away long enough to enjoy his bride. Their dinner was left forgotten as they consummated their marriage over and over that evening. With only 3 days to have the cabin they wanted to make the most of it, and make the most of it, they did.

* * *

The Georgian heat was upon them once again as they went through some of Leonards old childhood items. It was decided to keep a crib, a changing table, and a small dresser among other things. Adelaide was ready to have the baby. She was tired, emotional, and her back constantly ached from carrying. At just over 8 months, she knew that it would all be over soon, and thanked the stars for that. Leonard was more protective than ever, making sure she didn't overdue anything. Diane and David did what they could to make her comfortable without making her feel useless. Diane, if anybody, was the most excited for this child, her first grandchild.

She could barely talk about nothing else, besides giving parenting advice and tips of how she had raised Leonard and her other son. Leonard was the one who usually got annoyed, as the reality of being a father began to hit him hard. He was getting nervous, and it was beginning to show. One evening as they lay in bed, Addy rolled onto her side facing him, her belly filling the space between their bodies.

"Len, talk to me. What's going on?" She finally pressed.

He let out a deep sigh, and shook his head. "Nothing, just, nerves." He didn't want to stress her out.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm just nervous about this. I'm scared to be a dad right now, honestly. I mean, the rest of our lives, we will have a son or daughter to care for and look after. What if we mess up? What if it hates us?" He stared up at the ceiling going through the worst case scenarios in his mind. "I'm just, having second thoughts." He finally whispered.

"Len, it's a little late for second thoughts, don't you think?" She arched her brow. "We have less than two weeks give or take, and this baby will be here. We can't just say no, we don't want to be parents yet, and give this away." She pouted. "We are both scared, and that's normal for new parents. That's normal for experienced parents." She tried to soothe him, but he wasn't in the mood to be coaxed. "We won't be doing this alone, alright?" She reassured and lay her head down to rest.

Addy was lucky to take what rest she could. Somewhere in the middle of the night she woke up to severe pain. Her breath caught in her throat, and she began to sweat, feeling nauseous. "Len... Len." She whimpered, reaching frantically for him. He stirred, nuzzling into the pillow further before his eyes snapped open, realization coming over him.

As soon as jumped out of bed and turned on the lights, he could see her reeling, holding her lower abdomen, the sheets wet with her amniotic fluid. She let out a low rough groan. Her legs rubbed together as if it would somehow ward off the pain she was feeling. "This is early." She said shakily, gritting her teeth.

"Yeah, well it's 1:30 in the mornin." He squinted at the clock as he helped her up out of bed and onto her feet. He squatted down putting her slippers on. She let out a loud cry as a powerful contraction lurched her forward. Within moments, the door swun open and Diane was standing there in her night dress.

"Oh good heaven the babies comin. Your a bit early, dontcha think?" She rushed in to help Addy get into a long overcoat. "I'll call the doctor child, let them know we comin." She patted her sons shoulder as she pushed past David in the doorway to get to the phone.

"I'll help ya get 'er to the car son, come on." He placed an arm under Addys shoulder, Leonard on the other side.

"I'll carry her, you just get the doors." He scooped her up, feeling her hot breath against his neck as she breathed deeply, trying ot temper the pain. They placed her in the backseat of the truck with Leonard with his parents in the front. Diane tried to calm the woman, doing her best, but the pain was too much. The contractions were getting stronger as she let out another screaming groan.

_"Dammit man, I'm not done yet and she's coming back around! Get me more morphine STAT!"_

The truck swirled around her as she grew dizzy, tears slipping down her face. "Stay with me Adelaide, stay with me." Leonard grabbed her hand looking into her eyes.

_"If she doesn't get patched, she will die, and I can't keep going without that damn morphine!" _

She shook her head. She heard Leonards voice resounding in her ears. "Len, please, what's... what's..." She tried to get out, but her world went black.

* * *

A light shown brightly in the sterile looking room she was in. The sun beaming through the window streaked across her bed warming her up as her eyes fluttered open.

"Addy, your'e awake... Bones!" A voice called out. Everything was blurry and muddled. Blinking her eyes rapidly, she tried to clear her vision. Bones ran in from the doorway in his white hospital uniform.

"Len, sweetie, where's our baby? I want to see our baby." She whispered hoarsely. Her throat was dry and sore. He exchanged glances with the other man in the room. "Did we have a boy or a girl?" She tried to sit up, still a little dizzy. The room was silent.

"Leonard... What's wrong? What happened to our baby?" She raised her voice as best she could with worry. She threw her legs over the side of the bed and tried to stand, but was weakened. A pair of arms wrapped around her, but she didn't want to be helped. Clambering to her feet, she struggled to push past the doctor. "My baby, where's my baby?!" She ripped the IV from her arm as it tried to hold her close to the bed.

"Whoa, her vitals are going off the charts!" Leonard scanned her. As soon as she burst through the door,she fell to the floor. The familiar nurses station that she had worked at was in front of her. Nurses and patients alike were peaking out from doors to look at the breakdown of the young woman who was on the floor, crying and shivering.

"Whats happening? why?" She could barely get out as Leonard and another nurse helped her back to bed. She didn't resist this time. She cried, holding her head in her hands. "What happened to our baby?" She cried out, her throat restricting. She held his forearm, staring hard into his eyes with worry.

"Commander Myers, we never had a child." Leonard clarified, pulling his arm away. _Commander Myers? Since when would he be formal?_

"But, I was giving birth, in a hospital in Georgia. Your parents were there, they were driving us." She stared through soaked eyes as he shook his head.

"Leonard... please..." She choked out. "The wedding. The cabin on the lake... Us. Please, Leonard... Don't do this to me." She whimpered, her heart pounding.

"I'm sorry darlin', but none of that ever happened." He said sadly. "Your escape shuttle was rescued after the USS Farragut was destroyed by the Narada. You had internal bleeding near your uterus that we didn't catch until it was almost too late. We were able to repair the organ, and you will be fine, and you will, indeed have children in the future if you wish, but, you've been asleep for three weeks recovering."

"NO! NO! I don't believe you!" She struggled. "We were together, I loved you, and you loved me! Don't tell me it isn't true... please don't..." She fell back, unable to register the world around her as her heart broke into subatomic particles. Someone placed a teddy bear in front of her, as she held it tightly, cradling it, but it did nothing but remind her of the child she thought she was getting ready to bear.

"Well, this is a little bit awkward..." The doctor spoke in the doorway.

"Do you want me to stay with her?"

"Yeah, you probably should. I, honestly don't know what she may or may not do right now. If that won't be too awkward for you of course."

"It's weird, but, I think I can manage. Thanks doc." said the second voice she hadn't cared to identify. She felt so embarrassed, and hurt, and angry. She didn't know how long it had been before she finally looked up from her bear, reaching for a tissue to blow her nose. Jim was sitting in the chair, looking up at her. His eyes appeared nearly as red as hers.

"What are you doing here?" She spoke glumly, with a slight hiccup.

"I'm supposed to be here with you. It's only right." He rested his chin on his fist, inspecting her face.

"I'm fine." She rolled over, turning her back to him. "When can I get out of here? I don't want to be here anymore." She asked. Jim looked at her damp greasy hair. She needed to go home, take a shower, and re-acclimate to reality, but he didn't know if Bones would do that so soon.

"I don't know. You'll have to ask the doctor."

"I want a different doctor." She didn't want to look at that man again. She couldn't.

"Bones is your CMO and he is charging your care. I'm sorry." He stood up to rub her back. She pulled away quickly, standing to her feet.

"What are you doing?" She hissed. He stood with his hands up.

"You used to like when I rubbed your back. Whenever you were angry, sad, or sick..." He trailed off.

"That was back then. You've no right to touch me like that. Like you're my man or something." She snarled, still feeling devoted.

"I actually am." He gave a concerned look. _She doesn't even remember that much?_ She shook her head vigorously, holding her temples.

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"The night before our mission to Vulcan, you met your crew in a bar. I was there. I met you there, and we talked for a moment. I stayed, and you came back once your crew left. It was nearly closing time, and you played our song on the jukebox. We had a couple drinks together, and we decided to give it another try. I don't know why you said you would, but there you were. Holding my hand, willing to start over." His eyes began tearing up.

"I have no memory of that Jim. How do I know you're telling the truth?" She stepped back.

"You can always ask Louie. He'll tell you. Trust me at least when I say Louie would kill me if I was trying to manipulate you." He sat back down. His face was honest. If there was one thing Addy knew, it was when he was lying, and she saw none. She held her stomach, feeling sick. Bones walked back into the room as she hung her head, unable to look at him.

"Send me home. I want to go home, I'm fine." She gritted.

"Can't do that darlin, I'm sorry."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" She yelled angrily, gripping at the sheets as she steadied herself against the bed. It just reminded her that her happy world was fake. Bones and Jim looked back and forth before Bones nodded with understanding.

"Well, Myers, if you remember, we had performed emergency surgery on your lower abdomen, that is all healed up. I believe the PTSD and shock has created a blackout effect. I don't know if that will ever go away." He tapped his padd. She tried to look into his eyes. The eyes that could unlock her soul with one glance, but was unable to maintain eye contact. His hands began to bandage her bleeding arm where her IV had been, and her skin tingled. His fingers were gently touching her, like a dance that her body couldn't resist. She broke down again.

"She doesn't even remember me and her getting back together, before the Vulcan mission." Jim sighed from behind the doctor. He had excitedly called his friend that night when Addy agreed to give him another chance, gushing about getting his life back together now that he was captain, with a woman he would make his wife. The only other time he had seen Jim so happy was when he became captain of the Enterprise.

"Well, sorry dar-Myers. You gave it another go with this git." He chuckled as Addy shook her head.

"What's real?" She cried, lifting her head to the ceiling. "Can you tell me? What's real anymore? I went from being in love, happily married and having a baby with you, to giving it another go with him." She pointed between the two. "No wedding, no baby, no Len." She choked. "Was it all a dream? A lie?" She gritted. The doctor nodded sadly. "It was all so real..." She shook her head.

"I wanna keep her one more night Jim. You can take her home in the morning." Bones spoke gently before leaving them in peace.

* * *

The next few weeks were hard for Adelaide and Jim. She struggled to regain her life, as she had to remember that things were not the same. She and Nyota weren't as close as she thought. Cordial yes, but not close. Bones couldn't help but give her a sympathetic look every time he saw her. In her heart, she was essentially going through a divorce, and then some, and he felt that it was his fault in some small way or another. She was definitely trying to get used to Jim doting upon her.

She arrived to work one day to find a large bouquet of sunflowers on her desk with a simple note that said '_J' _and she knew exactly who had put them there. Something Jim had been doing since their school years, leaving dandelions and daisies on or in her desk after recess or at the beginning of class. In high school it escalated to roses in her locker randomly. She was mostly surprised however, at his lack of attention to women. Whenever she saw him, he paid no heed to the women that walked by, or who tried to flirt with him. Every night he stayed at her place, sleeping on her couch just so she knew that he was there. Addy would sleep in her room, hearing the TV in the living room, falling asleep to it. She usually woke up to Jim gently shaking her for work. If she didn't have to work, he was kind enough to let her sleep in late.

It was slow progress, but Addy began to see the change in Jim. As much as she didn't want to, she began to see his responsibility. That he tried to make her happy. That he appeared to have an interest in her as a whole, and in her as a long term, even permanent fixture in his life. Slowly, happiness began to creep back into Addys smile. Some days were harder than others, lamenting her supposed loss, but Jim was there to hold her, and reassure her that all was indeed okay. Other days were nice, even brilliant. Jim had just brought her some lunch at work as she came out of a patients room with a tricorder. She sighed angrily, blowing a tuft of hair out of her face.

"That kinda day?" He asked, holding up the bag.

"Oh you know it." She shook her head, rolling her eyes back. "I'll go see about taking lunch." She smiled and handed her patients off to her break relief. They sat in the lunch room enjoying some stuffed shells and meatballs talking animatedly. An old joke by Jim made her laugh heartily. As she laughed, Jim sat back looking at her in admiration. She wiped a tear away, recovering herself, and looked at him.

"What?" She asked nervously.

"What what?"

"Why are you staring at me? You know staring makes me nervous." She blushed.

"Because I'm too lucky." He shook his head. She blushed again, shaking her head.

"Jim, this time around, I feel like damaged goods." She scoffed. "I mean, I don't know." She shook her head, unable to explain it. "You are picking up the pieces from something that didn't even exist. But I hurt just the same. You know what I mean?" She tilted her head trying to explain.

"Adelaide," he took her hand. "You've been picking up my pieces for years. You've put up with me for years. I think it's my turn." He grinned, petting her hand. She smiled at him, feeling slightly better at this comforting moment. "Take all the time you need to recover. I know it's hard. But I'm here."

"Thank you, Tibs." She whispered. After lunch, she managed to get through the rest of the day with little incident. A patient tantrum here, and a flagged order there and she was done. As soon as she walked through the door, she dropped her bag and showered. It wasn't long before Jim had come back to her place, shewas just stepping out of the shower when he was locking the door.

"Hey Tibs, how are you?" She peeked out from the hall, her wet hair clinging to her shoulder. Jims eyes dilated as soon as he saw the water drip down her bare shoulder. She bit her lip as Jim stared, her body wrapped tightly in a towel. Addy was nervous, working on her affection towards him.

"It was good. It was really good. I uh, had lunch with a gorgeous woman, and we are being considered for a deep space mission..." He hadn't taken his eyes off of her figure as he put his comm and bag down. "So, pretty productive."

"Good. Sounds like a productive day." She nodded, walking across the living room to where Jims pillows were set up. She took them, holding them to her body before walking back to the bedroom.

"You know, I wanna use those tonight, right?" He called after her.

"And you will. Only, in here."

Jim felt his body tingle, and hurried to the bedroom. She was moving her pillows over, and setting his up on the other side. While she rearranged the bed, he changed into light evening clothes, something he could be comfortable in all night. A tank top and shorts was all he was adorned with as he watched her change into panties, and a long shirt. Immediately, he desired her, closing the gap between them and kissing her gently.

It was probably the best kiss she had ever had, that was real anyways. Soft and wanting. His arms pulled her in close, as he savored her sweet lips, that hint of citrus still lingering there like old times. When a slight moan escaped her lips, Jim took the opportunity to slip his tongue slip through, gently grazing her lips, asking for entrance. She obliged, feeling it dance along her tongue, her head growing light.

"Jim, I- god that feels so amazing." She whispered, loving the way his hands roamed her sides, and his lips massaged hers. It was more passionate than ever he had kissed her.

"If this is too fast, let me know." He nuzzled her, not wanting to rip her from her comfort zone. He knew she was still conflicted, and that they were supposed to be taking things at a slower pace, but in that moment, he only wanted her in her entirety. The moment she shook her head, he lifted her up, letting her legs wrap around his waist, and kissed her deeply. His hands rubbed up and down her back, reaching under her shirt, kneading at her skin passionately. Addy leaned her head back, feeling the way his lips roamed her body, touching on her sensitive spots that only he probably knew existed.

"Adelaide, I've missed you so much." He whimpered softly with heavy breath. He let her down so she could walk to the bed and watched her lay down, her shirt coming off in the process. Jim couldn't stand the restraint as he stripped himself down. Her bare breasts enticed, begging for his hands, her nipples firm and perked. The moment he slid up between her legs, he nearly lost all control. His length was pressed against her apex, and it had been a few months since he had had sex.

She bit her lip as Jim licked and flicked his tongue along her pulse points and down to her nipples. He savored the taste of her breasts, a sweet taste that he had longed for, and had never tasted again after her. His tongue swirled around her nipple hungrily, deriving a moan from her. Addys hips rolled against his as he groaned. Her movements stroked his hardened rod, making him grip the blankets.

"Addy, I don't think I can hold back..." He shook his head, looking into her beautiful lusting eyes.

"Then don't, Tibs. Don't hold back. Take me tonight." She whispered, knowing that she needed to do this now before she lost her nerve. She needed to bring herself to the reality that she was with Jim now, not Leonard. That she was giving her body to Jim, and that was just the way it was. Jim looped a finger under her panties and slid them down, groaning as he saw her waiting core.

As soon as her panties were lying somewhere forgotten on the floor, he rubbed her sensitive bud gently, making sure she was wet enough to take him. His finger dipped inside of her slowly, feeling how tight she was, his thumb still rubbing her clit in a circle. Her knees fell apart as she watched Jim gauge her reaction and plan his moment just right. She felt her climax build quickly, having been untouched for so long. She felt her abdomen almost grow warmer as it built up. The moment it snapped, she sat up, moaning, bucking her hips, as her clit pulsed in pleasure.

Addy breathed heavily as Jim laid her back down, his eyes locked on hers as he slowly entered her. It was like the first time all over again, only without the pain. He was slow, savoring every stroke inside of her. He growled, feeling his tip push deep inside of her. No woman he had ever had felt as good as she did. His quest was misguided and futile, because the best thing was beneath him right now, clawing softly at his chest, her knees against his hips. He rocked his hips into her, driving himself as deep into her as he possibly could.

"Tibs, please, that feels so good." She whimpered, a tear forming in the corner of her eye. She had forgotten how amazing sex could feel. This was her body actually enjoying the pleasure, not imagining it. Goosebumps formed on her skin as she pulled Jim into her, coming again. Her moans reverberated through the room as he thrust, feeling the way she tightened around him. As if it wasn't possible for her to feel even tighter, she was, sending him over the edge.

He held himself to her while he caught his breath. He kissed her sweaty skin gingerly, cradling her. She was recovering from the immense pleasure, still moaning, feeling him softening inside of her.

"Ads, I love you so much. I'm so glad you are with me." He groaned. She didn't respond right away, thinking heavily.

"I love you, Tibs." She finally replied after leaving him in silence. She had to admit, that she had developed feelings for him all over again over the last few weeks that she had been awake. He finally rolled off of her, sighing, taking her hand into his. Jim laid on his side facing her, just enjoying being there in the same bed with her, enjoying the post-sex cuddling, and talking that they usually partook in. She snuggled in closer to him, pushing her nerves to the back of her mind. If she just had sex with him, she could certainly cuddle with the man.

The morning dawned on their naked forms, tangled in one another. Jim was stroking her hair watching her sleeping form. He knew what she was dreaming of, as she mumbled Leonards name. She was still lost in that dream, but was coming around. She turned over, facing him with squinted eyes. "Hey you." She croaked, putting her hand on his chest.

"Morning." He kissed her forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Great. It was wonderful." She gave a soft smile.

"That was the intention." He smirked, pressing his morning hardness into her hip. Addy giggled, and climbed atop of him, kissing his lips gently, settling her hips onto his. Their morning session finished with loud moans and Jim making coffee for his wobbly kneed princess.

They were eating toast with their coffee when Addy spoke. "What's going to happen now?" She looked at his questioning expression. "I mean, I haven't been reassigned since the Farragut, and since you are the captain, I don't think it would be appropriate for us to serve on the same ship." She stirred her coffee.

Jim nodded in thought. Luckily for the both of them, he didn't believe in no-win scenarios, and would find a way for them to be together. He had already just spent a few years away from her, and he wasn't prepared to spend another 5 years away from her.

* * *

A/N: Alright, sorry if the end wasn't that great. It does leave it open for another chapter, but I think this will probably be it. This chapter could be edited in the future, but I just thought it was time to bring this story to a close... otherwise I would just keep on writing lol. Well, anyways, thank you for following this story.


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